Triple Chocolate Bavarian Cream Cake
A triple chocolate Bavarian cream cake recipe made with a chocolate cake base, a white, a milk and a dark chocolate Bavarian cream filling, topped with chocolate ganache.
Belula
November 10, 2021
This triple chocolate Bavarian cream cake recipe is made with a thin chocolate cake base, followed by one layer of dark chocolate Bavarian cream filling, one layer of milk chocolate Bavarian cream filling and one layer of white chocolate Bavarian cream filling. This heavenly dessert needs to be refrigerated overnight before you cover it with a thin layer of luscious chocolate ganache and some chocolate pearls. A great dessert that will impress your family and friends! Can't wait for you to make it!
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate: use good quality dark, milk and white chocolate. I like Valrhona or Callebaut.
- Chocolate Pearls: I use them to dress up the cake a little bit, but this is optional.
- Heavy whipping cream: must have no less than 30% fat content and must be cold when whipped.
- Gelatin: this recipe calls for gelatin sheets, but you can replace them with gelatin powder. I sheet (gold) = 2.5 g powder gelatin approximately.
- Acetate strips to line the cake ring.
- 18 cm cake ring (4.5 cm high)
How to make Chocolate Bavarian Cream
To make chocolate Bavarian Cream you need to mix 3 elements:
- A chocolate ganache (made with chocolate + crème anglaise - custard)
- Gelatin
- Whipped cream (it should be whipped to soft peaks)
For a detailed step-by-step explanation, you can check out this recipe French Raspberry Chocolate Charlotte Cake.
How to make this recipe
To make this chocolate Bavarian cream recipe you must:
- Make the chocolate cake, let it cool off and place it at the bottom of the cake ring (lined with acetate strip)
- Make the dark chocolate Bavarian cream and fill the cake ring with it. Let it set in the refrigerator.
- Make the milk chocolate Bavarian cream and fill the cake ring with it. Let it set in the refrigerator.
- Make the white chocolate Bavarian cream and fill the cake ring with it. Let it set in the refrigerator overnight.
- Make the chocolate ganache and cover the cake with it. Add some chocolate pearls to around the edges. Place in the refrigerator until the ganache has set.
- Enjoy!
Recipe notes
- Make sure to sift the cocoa powder when you are making the chocolate cake.
- Chocolate cake is rather thin, so it bakes very quickly. Stay next to the oven or it will come off very dry.
- If you use a cake ring to bake the chocolate cake in, place it onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper that you should also spray)
- Gelatin should be incorporated to the ganache once it is smooth. It should be added in a liquid state and mixed in using a whisk.
- Whipping cream should be added into the ganache/gelatin mixture once it has reached 20 C° (68 F°).
- To bring down the temperature of the ganache you can place it over a cold water bath.
Experts Notes
If you fold in the whipping cream into the ganache while it is still hot the Bavarian cream won't hold up.
If you feel comfortable in the kitchen you could try and make the 3 Bavarian creams in one go:
- Place the thinly sliced dark, milk and white chocolate in 3 different mixing bowls.
- Make one big "crème anglaise or custard" by adding the ingredients in all 3 Bavarian creams (egg yoks, sugar and milk)
- Pour over 1/3 of the custard over each chocolate and whisk to combine.
- Keep warm, over a water bath until ready to use.
- Whip the cream for the 3 Bavarian creams together and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Once you are ready to make the dark chocolate Bavarian cream, simply whisk in the gelatin into the warm ganache. Then bring the ganache to 20 C° and fold in 1/3 of the whipping cream. Place in the refrigerator until it has set.
- Then repeat with the last 2 Bavarian cream chocolate fillings.
Making ahead
- Chocolate cake: it can be made 3 days in advance and kept wrapped in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Assembled chocolate Bavarian cream: can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days inside the cake ring with the acetate strip (without the ganache topping). When you are ready to serve, make the ganache and cover the cake.
Storage tips
It keeps for up to 6 days in the refrigerator. Its best to cover with saran wrap to prevent from drying out.
Freezer instructions
Once the cake has set (without the ganache topping) place in the freezer with the cake ring, covered with saran wrap until completely frozen.
Then remove from the freezer, remove the cake ring (leave the acetate strip on), and wrap in saran wrap 2 or 3 times. Then place in a freezer bag or container. It keeps for up to 2 months.
To defrost: remove the saran wrap and place on a serving plate inside the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve, top with the ganache and chocolate pearls. Once the ganache has completely set remove the acetate strip and enjoy!
Variations to this recipe
You can make this Bavarian cream cake using only one chocolate. If this is the case, simply multiply the chocolate Bavarian cream recipe of your choice by 3 and then fill the cake using only this cream.
You can replace the chocolate ganache glaze by a simple chocolate mirror glaze.
The ingredients used in all recipes on this site are measured using the metric system. I use a
scale to be precise with my measurements and ensure good results. If you would also like to use a scale, here are some:
USA,
Canada,
UK,
Australia,
France.
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Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition: 380 cal
Cuisine: French
Chocolate Cake
-
Almond Flour
20 g
-
Powdered Sugar
20 g
-
Eggs
20 g
-
Egg Yolks
10 g
-
Egg Whites
35 g
-
Granulated Sugar
12 g
-
All-purpose Flour
15 g
-
Cocoa Powder
4 g
Dark Chocolate Bavarian Cream Filling
-
Milk
30 g
-
Egg Yolks
15 g
-
Granulated Sugar
15 g
-
Dark Chocolate
25 g
-
Gelatine Sheets
1
-
Heavy Whipping Cream
80 g
Milk Chocolate Bavarian Cream
-
Milk
30 g
-
Egg Yolks
15 g
-
Granulated Sugar
15 g
-
Milk Chocolate
25 g
-
Gelatine Sheets
1
-
Heavy Whipping Cream
80 g
White Chocolate Bavarian Cream
-
Milk
30 g
-
Egg Yolks
15 g
-
Granulated Sugar
15 g
-
White Chocolate
25 g
-
Gelatine Sheets
1
-
Heavy Whipping Cream
80 g
-
Chocolate ganache (for glaze)
-
Dark Chocolate
40 g
-
Heavy Whipping Cream
65 g
- 1. Make the Chocolate cake batter: Pre-heat the oven to 200 C°. Spray and a line 20 cm cake pan with parchment paper (see the photos above to see how). Sift the flour and cocoa powder. Mix the almond flour, the powdered sugar, the eggs, and the egg yolks until is has gained in volume with the whisk attachment. About 5 minutes. Set aside. Whisk the egg whites with the granulated sugar until soft peaks have formed. Fold in the egg whites into the almond flour mixture in 2 times using a spatula. Delicately fold in the sifted flour/cocoa powder.
- 2. Bake the chocolate cake: Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and evenly spread using an offset spatula. Bake for about 5 to 8 minutes. Immediately remove from the pan and let cool down over a wire rack. Once the cake has cooled down, place the 18 cm cake ring onto the chocolate cake and press it down onto the cake to cut a 18 cm round. Remove the cake round and set aside.
- 3. Make the dark chocolate Bavarian cream: Thinly chop the dark chocolate and place in a medium size bowl. Place the gelatine sheet in a bowl with ice cold water. Blanche the egg yolks and half the granulated sugar. Heat the milk and the remaining half of the sugar and pour over the yolk/sugar mixture. Place the mixture in the pot once again and cook to 82 C° over medium low heat, constantly mixing with a spatula. Once the “crème anglaise” has reached the desired temperature pour over the chopped chocolate and mix using a whisk until the mixture is smooth and no lumps of chocolate are left. Remove the gelatine from the water, squeeze to remove the excess water and heat it using the microwave to bring it to a liquid state (about 5 seconds maximum). Whisk into the chocolate ganache. Let the mixture cool down to 20 C°. In the meantime, whisk the whipping cream to soft peaks and refrigerate until ready to use. Once the chocolate ganache is at 20 C° delicately fold in the whipped cream.
- 4. Assembling Bavarois Cake, Part 1: Line the 18 cm cake ring with acetate strip and place onto a serving plate. Place the trimmed cake round at the bottom of the cake ring. Pour the dark chocolate bavarois into the cake ring and tap gently against the countertop to even it out. Let it set in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
- 5. Assembling the Bavarois Cake, Part 2: The cake is in the fridge, repeat the procedure for the dark chocolate bavarois, replacing the dark chocolate with the milk chocolate. Once the dark chocolate bavarois has set, pour over the milk chocolate bavarois, and gently tap to smooth it out. Once again place in the refrigerator until it has set. About 1 hour.
- 6. Assembling the Bavarois Cake, Part 3: Make the white chocolate bavarois repeating the same procedure as before, only replacing the milk chocolate with the white chocolate. Pour over the bavarois cake and refrigerate overnight.
- 7. Make the chocolate ganache: Once the bavarois cake has completely set and chilled, bring the cream to boil and pour over the thinly chopped chocolate. Let it sit for about 1 minute and then gently whisk until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Pour over the triple layer chocolate bavarois cake and spread using circular movements until the top of the cake is completely covered with the ganache. Add some chocolate pearls around the borders of the cake. Place in the refrigerator until the ganache has properly set. Remove the cake ring and the acetate strip and enjoy!
If you made this recipe I would really appreciate it if you leave a rating or comment below! Also, if you share on social media please use #cookwithbelula, I would love to see what you create!
What bloom should the gelatin sheet be?
Hi Martina,
It should be gold.
Hope this helps!