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TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- What it is: A showstopping 12-layer vanilla cake, stacked with an old-fashioned, poured chocolate glaze that sets into a sophisticated, Southern dessert.
- Why you’ll love it: The thin cake layers, cooked quickly, remain moist, and pair perfectly with the deep, coffee-infused chocolate glaze for an elegant flavor. Pure Southern comfort.
- How to make it: Make the glaze first, then bake thin cake layers in batches. While the remaining layers bake, keep the glaze warm. Immediately remove the hot layers from the pans, place them on a cake stand, and immediately slather with warm glaze as you stack them. Drizzle the remaining glaze over the top.
Jump To
You’re looking at these layers and thinking, “Yeah, sure! There’s no way in hell I’m making this at home!” But, honestly, I can tell you from experience that the recipe is both easy and savvy.
That’s what I thought when I first saw this cake. I decided to freelance and cut two layer cakes into six layers each. Arrrrgh! There were crumbs everywhere, and my sanity was one emotional outburst away from walking out the door.
So I caved and followed Yearwood’s instructions the second time. I baked the 12 thin layers, three at a time, in cake pans. In no time, I was done (because they bake so quickly), and my composure returned. Bottom line: Don’t make the same mistake I did; listen to Trisa.
How to make this torte as a two-layer cake
If I haven’t convinced you to give this a go, I get it. You don’t always have the time or patience for tradition—or lots and lots of layers. So sure, why not? Go ahead, bake the batter in two standard 9-inch round cake pans, and then stack and frost the two layers as is, as you would any layer cake. Then call it a day—a damn good day.
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If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Featured Review
I loved this recipe! I had been looking for a recipe where the icing hardens after icing the cake, and this is the first one I have found that works! Not to mention how delicious this cake is!
Jenson Bland
⛰ Baking at High Altitude? When baking above 3,500 feet, you often need to tweak recipes a bit for stunning results. If that’s you, take a look at our guide to high-altitude baking before beginning!
Trisha Yearwood’s Chocolate Torte
Ingredients
For the chocolate glaze
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) butter
- 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, preferably French roast
For the cake
- 2 sticks (8 oz) butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon milk
- 4 cups self-rising flour, plus more for the pans
Instructions
Make the glaze (Do this first)
- In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) butter. Add the 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate and stir until melted.
- Add the 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar and stir to combine (the mixture will be thick and grainy). Then stir in the 2 1/4 cups evaporated milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and the 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring it to a boil.
- Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a glaze, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the glaze from the heat.
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Butter and flour at least four 9-inch cake pans.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the 2 sticks (8 oz) butter and 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar until smooth. Add the 6 large eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
- In a small bowl, mix the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with the 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon milk. Add the 4 cups self-rising flour to the egg mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.
- Pour a very thin layer of batter—about 7 tablespoons, a scant 1/2 cup—into each pan, shaking the pans to distribute the batter to the edges. Bake the layers for 11 to 13 minutes.
- While the first cake layers bake, return the glaze to low heat as the glaze must be warm to spread on the cake layers.
- When the cake layers are done, immediately remove the layers from the pans and, working one at a time, place the layers on a cake stand and immediately slather with some of the warm glaze.
- Bake all of the remaining batter in this manner and continue to stack and glaze in this fashion. You should be able to get 12 layers from this recipe. Reserve the last of the glaze to dribble over the top of the cake.
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Nutrition
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Did you know only 68% of the recipes we test make it onto the site? This recipe survived our rigorous blind testing process by multiple home cooks. It earned the Leite’s Culinaria stamp of approval—and the testers’ reviews below prove it.
An impressive cake. The thin layers of both cake and icing were visually appealing as well as delicious. The icing has a taste similar to brigadeiros, or Brazilian chocolate fudge balls, with an almost caramel-like quality to the chocolate and coffee flavor.
The recipe calls for an interesting technique of layering the cake while still hot, and it worked. It’s labor-intensive, but the extra time in baking thin layers of batter is definitely offset by not having to cut standard-size cakes into layers and deal with all the crumbs while spreading the icing and assembling them.
I halved the recipe and got 8 layers from it, although I needed more than the amount of icing specified to effectively cover each layer. I also made the cake gluten-free, and the recipe adapted perfectly. The finished cake is not really rich, but is very sweet. I might be inclined to reduce the sugar next time I make this, but it’s otherwise a wonderful dessert.
I must admit that when I first read the recipe, I was a bit overwhelmed, but I was quite surprised at how easy this cake is to make and how beautiful and tasteful it is.
I follow a gluten-free diet, so I had to switch the self-rising flour for the exact same amount of all-purpose GF flour ( Bob’s Red Mill) and did what the site Art of Gluten-Free Baking says with regard to adding the baking powder and salt. Worked beautifully. I was able to divide the batter into 3 pans and divided each cake into 2 layers, so I had 6 layers altogether. I’m sure I could have cut each into 3 layers, but I was too scared of breaking them. We had friends over for dinner and this was an absolutely HUGE success.
When I saw this cake, I just knew I had to make it for a special occasion. My wonderful daughters birthday is this weekend and I spent about three to four hours making it last night. I was a labor to me as how it is made. I have made this kind of cake before but only seven layers and I always made the layers first and then made the cooked icing. The advantage making it Trisha’s way is that you don’t have to worry about where to put all those layers and the chance that being so thin they usually dry out. I cooked the icing just like it said, but I did not think it was thick enough and cooked it about seven minutes longer. The icing ran down on the sides of the dish and would not get hard quick enough. The last layer started to split so I hurried and got the toothpicks. I put the cake in the fridge and went to bed. I got up this morning and the icing was hardened and I heated up the leftover icing just a little bit and spread it over the top. I cleaned up the sides of the cake dish and now it looks so beautiful. The layers wanted to rise higher in the middle as I was adding them to the cake. I was a nervous wreck. Now we have to travel two hours to our daughters house. I do hope it survives. I think Trish could have given more instructions on making the icing. Would I make it again? It depends on how good it will be Saturday and how the family receives it. IF it is great then I would make it for any of our three children and anyone that I love dearly. By the way I did get twelve layers, and the last two were a little bit bigger so I could use all the batter. Thanks Trisha for the recipe. Gosh, the cake is a mile high I tell my husband, and I call it the one-hundred dollar cake like the whole coconut cake is at the Charleston Magnolia Restaurant. I know because my neice bought one for her husband.
Judy English
Judy,
A true labor of love! Sounds like everything turned out well, but let us know how it goes tomorrow!
Hi Rachel, We arrived at our daughters house with no damage to the cake. Well the Chocolate Torte was a big hit at our daughter’s birthday this weekend. WOW, was the word of the night. It was so moist, and the icing was so tasty. I did not think it was overly rich. I would definately make it again for someone special in my heart. Thanks much for the recipe.
Woo hoo! You’re welcome!
Hi Judy,
What a lovely and special way to celebrate your daughter’s birthday! I need to take a walk and try that cake at Magnolia’s. I usually crave the coconut cake at Peninsula Grill but I could be tempted to try something new…
Beth
Hi Beth, I am so sorry and apologize for making an error about the famous Restaurant Peninsula Grill’s Coconut Cake. Don’t take that walk. I was rushing to finish packing and getting the cake safely to our destination that I incorrectly said the wrong restaurant name. The cake was a great success and it looked exactly like the one on this site. I assumed that you must live in Charleston. I grew up there and my sister and Mom lives there West of the Ashley. It is a great city. Thanks again. Judy English
Hi Judy,
Yes, I do live in Charleston. That coconut cake is amazing isn’t it? So glad that the torte was amazing as well!
I made this cake yesterday and it was a big hit. It wasn’t difficult, just a little time consuming. I made some hazelnut praline and sprinkled it on top which gave it a bit more texture since it’s pretty plain otherwise. I will definitely make it again but might brush some of the cake layers with Frangelico to give it a bit more flavour.
Oh wow! It’s gorgeous. I’m going to have to try this chocolate torte for my blog. I don’t think I can cut cake layers THAT thin!
But that’s the beauty of this recipe, GotChocolate. You bake several super-thin layers of cakes, so there’s no need to slice them. It’s time-consuming, yes, but if it’s a rainy day such as today and you’re at home, well, it’s just a matter of setting a timer…