Introduction

French Silk Pie Cake is a rich, chocolatey treat that blends the decadence of classic French silk pie with the softness of a layered chocolate cake. This dessert is perfect for chocolate lovers who want a smooth, velvety frosting paired with moist chocolate cake layers.

A slice of rich chocolate cake sits on a white plate with two thick, dark brown layers of moist cake separated by a lighter brown creamy frosting. The cake has a thick border of piped chocolate frosting along the bottom edge, with a smooth and creamy texture. Small chocolate bits are scattered lightly on the plate around the cake. A fork rests beside the slice on the plate. The scene is set on a white marbled texture that adds a soft contrast to the deep colors of the cake. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 cup hot water
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the French Silk Frosting:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar; granulated sugar can be used but not powdered)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz unsweetened Baker’s chocolate, melted and cooled completely
3 large whole eggs (pasteurized), cold

For Assembly:

Chocolate flakes or sprinkles

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round baking pans with butter or nonstick spray, dust with cocoa powder, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix briefly to combine.
Step 3: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk, hot water (add slowly to avoid cooking the eggs), eggs, and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and mix on medium speed for 2–3 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
Step 5: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Using a kitchen scale helps ensure even distribution.
Step 6: Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.
Step 7: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: For the frosting, beat the softened butter and sugar in a chilled bowl with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Step 9: Add the melted and cooled chocolate along with vanilla extract, then whip until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
Step 10: Switch to the whisk attachment. Add the cold eggs one at a time, whipping for 5 minutes after each addition. Scrape the bowl before adding each egg. The frosting will be fairly runny.
Step 11: Chill the entire bowl with the whisk attachment in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, whipping every 10 minutes to maintain consistency.
Step 12: To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate or cake board. Using a French star piping tip, pipe dollops of frosting over the layer and then sprinkle with chocolate flakes or sprinkles. Repeat with the second layer.
Step 13: You can serve the cakes as two separate layers or chill both layers in the fridge for 1 hour, then carefully stack one on top of the other for a taller cake.

Tips & Variations

Use pasteurized eggs to ensure safety since the frosting contains raw eggs.
For a smoother frosting, make sure the melted chocolate is completely cooled before adding it to the butter mixture.
If you don’t have a French star tip, you can spread the frosting evenly with a spatula instead of piping dollops.
Try adding a hint of espresso powder to the cake batter to intensify the chocolate flavor.
Store the cake in the refrigerator due to the raw eggs in the frosting.

Storage

Store the French Silk Pie Cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To keep the cake moist, wrap it lightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes for the best texture. Avoid freezing due to the delicate texture of the frosting.

How to Serve

A two-layer dark chocolate cake stands on a white cake stand with a wooden base, placed on a white marbled textured surface covered partly by a brown cloth. Each thick cake layer is rich and moist with a dark, almost black color. Between the two layers is a row of creamy, light brown chocolate frosting piped evenly. On top, there are many pointed swirls of the same chocolate frosting, evenly spaced and covering the entire surface. Next to the cake, on the white marbled surface, lies a large, square block of dark chocolate with some chocolate shavings scattered before it. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Is it safe to eat raw eggs in the frosting?

This recipe uses pasteurized eggs, which are safe to consume raw. If you cannot find pasteurized eggs, you may want to use a cooked egg custard or an alternative frosting.

Can I make the cake layers ahead of time?

Yes, the chocolate cake layers can be baked a day or two in advance. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before frosting.

French Silk Pie Cake Recipe

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4.5 from 484 reviews

French Silk Pie Cake is a decadent chocolate cake inspired by the classic French Silk Pie. It features moist, rich chocolate layers paired with a luscious, silky smooth French Silk frosting made from butter, sugar, melted chocolate, and eggs. The cake is elegantly assembled with piped frosting dollops and sprinkled with chocolate flakes, delivering a stunning and indulgent dessert perfect for chocolate lovers.

Author: Tara
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes plus chilling time
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 cup hot water
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

French Silk Frosting:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened but cool
1 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar; granulated sugar can be used, not powdered sugar)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz unsweetened Baker’s chocolate, melted and cooled completely
3 large whole eggs (pasteurized), cold

Assembly:

Chocolate flakes or sprinkles for decoration

Instructions

Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round baking pans and dust them with cocoa powder to prevent sticking. Line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the flour, granulated sugar, sifted Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir briefly to combine the dry ingredients evenly.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, buttermilk at room temperature, eggs, and vanilla extract. Slowly add the hot water while whisking continuously to avoid cooking the eggs.
Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in the stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until well combined. The batter will be very thin, which is normal.
Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Use a kitchen scale if desired for equal portions. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove them from the pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Make the French Silk Frosting: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened but cool butter and caster sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
Add Chocolate and Vanilla: Add the cooled, melted Baker’s chocolate and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Whip again until fully combined and smooth. Scrape the bowl as needed.
Add Eggs: Switch to the whisk attachment. Add the cold pasteurized eggs one at a time, whipping for 5 minutes after each addition. Scrape the bowl thoroughly before adding each egg to ensure proper incorporation. The frosting will have a fairly runny consistency.
Chill Frosting: Place the bowl with the whisk attachment into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes, removing every 10 minutes to whip briefly. This helps to thicken and stabilize the frosting.
Assemble the Cake: Place each cooled cake layer on a cake board or serving plate. Using a piping bag fitted with a French star tip, pipe dollops of frosting on top of each layer. Sprinkle generously with chocolate flakes or sprinkles.
Final Touches: You can serve the two frosted cakes separately, or for a layered cake, chill both layers in the refrigerator for 1 hour, then carefully remove one cake from its board and stack it on top of the other for a classic layered presentation.

Notes

Use pasteurized eggs for the frosting to ensure safety as the eggs are raw.
Do not substitute powdered sugar for caster sugar in the frosting for texture and sweetness levels.
Ensure butter for the frosting is cool but soft to properly whip with sugar.
Batter will be very thin; this is normal due to the hot water.
If you do not have a kitchen scale, try to eyeball equal portions for even baking.
Chilling the frosting and whipping intermittently helps it develop the classic silky texture.
Chocolate flakes or sprinkles add a nice decorative touch and extra chocolate texture.
The cake layers can be made a day ahead and wrapped tightly for convenience.

Keywords: French Silk Pie Cake, Chocolate Cake, French Silk Frosting, Decadent Chocolate Cake, Moist Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Dessert