ROXANNE'S TUXEDO CAKE

Several weeks ago after church we went to one of our favorite eating places on Sunday, Roxanne’s Cafe. One of the reasons I wanted to go there is they have fantastic desserts and I was supposed to eat chocolate cake that day because the Chiefs were playing football. (It didn’t seem to help though because we lost, but the good news is I discovered an awesome chocolate cake.) 

As we walked in the door, I glanced over at the dessert frig to see if they had anything chocolate in it. They usually just have pies and cobblers in there, but I looked anyway. The cakes are usually in the back or occasionally on the counter. Not seeing anything out, I followed our waitress to our table and then searched out Chase, Roxanne’s son. I also read the specials menu board and they did have some kind of chocolate cake on it. I saw Chase and went to ask him about it. He didn’t seem to know anything about the cake listed but showed me a piece of chocolate cake wrapped on a plate. He said it was the last piece they had of his mother’s Tuxedo Cake that she had made the day before. It went fast, Chase said. I told him to save it for me to go.

I was full after eating, but did eat one bite so I could say I had eaten  chocolate cake before the game. Let me tell you it was really hard not to eat a second bite, but I didn’t. I saved it for after the game to console me because the Chiefs lost the game.

On our way out, I told Chase I wanted his mother’s and he said he would ask her later that day and have it for me the next time we came in. 

The next time we went in was the following Sunday. Fortunately for Chase Roxanne was there because he had forgotten to ask her for the recipe. Roxanne was more than welcomed to share it with me - She could have told me no, but she didn’t. 

I had planned to make it for Canasta the next week when Friend Fran hosted, but Fran had to cancel because her granddaughter tested positive for Covid. (I always make and take the dessert to her house when she hosts since she doesn’t cook much.) I finally got to make it yesterday morning as we met at Fran’s house yesterday afternoon to play canasta. 

Friend Susan asked me what the cake was called and I told her “Tuxedo Cake” from Roxanne’s Cafe. No one in the group had ever had Roxanne’s cake, but decided it couldn’t taste any better than mine. It really does taste as good, but it should since I used her recipe. I doubt you will see this, Roxanne, but I do appreciate your generosity and willingness to share your recipe. The only changes I made were 1 - using a sugar-free fudge chocolate  instant pudding, 2 - using ⅓ - less fat Neufchatel cream cheese, and 3 - I only used 3 cups of powdered sugar for the cream cheese frosting. I almost forgot one more change in that I used 8 - inch round cake pans instead of 9 - inch.

For a printable copy of just the recipe, click HERE.

ROXANNE’S TUXEDO CAKE

1     box chocolate fudge cake mix (without added pudding) + the ingredients called for on the box to make the cake (I found a dark chocolate fudge cake mix)

1     3.4 oz chocolate instant pudding (I used the sugar-free chocolate fudge instant pudding mix)

¼   cup milk (I used skim milk)

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1     pkg (8 oz) cream cheese at room temperature (I used ⅓ less fat Neufchatel, at room temperature)

½  cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

4    cups powdered sugar (I used 3 cups)

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9     oz chopped bittersweet chocolate

1     cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F or whatever is recommended on the cake mix. Spray the bottom and sides of two 9 - inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. (I used 8 - inch round pans so the layers would be thicker and look nicer.) Set aside.

Mix up the cake following the directions on the box.

Then add the pudding mix and milk and

beat until smooth, about a minute. (I did use the electric beater. Here I was scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure the batter was completely blended.)

Divide the cake batter evenly between the two pans and cook following the directions on the box. (I cooked mine for 24 minutes.) Press lightly in the center to test for doneness.

Place cake pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool.

Remove the cake layer and continue to cool on a wire rack. 

Meanwhile prepare the cream cheese frosting by creaming the cream cheese and stick of butter

until light and smooth.

Slowly add the powdered sugar and

beat until smooth. 

I did sift the powdered sugar before I added it.

By the time I did this, the cake was cool so I placed one of the layers flat side UP on the bottom of the cake carrier. (If I were serving the cake at home, I would have placed it on a cake plate.)

Frost the bottom layer just on top. 

Place the second layer flat side DOWN on top of the frosted layer and

frost the top and down the sides of the cake. (If you are want to frost the cake later, cover the bowl of frosting and place in refrigerator until you are ready to do so.)

Place the cake in the refrigerator until the Grenache is made and ready to pour over the frosted cake. 

To prepare the Grenache,  chop up the chocolate, place in a medium size bowl, and set aside. (Sorry I apparently failed to take a picture of my nicely chopped chocolate.)

Heat the heavy cream over low heat until

it just comes to a boil.

Then pour the hot cream into the bowl with the chocolate and

whisk until

smooth. Let it rest 5 minutes to thicken up before slowly pouring it over the top of the cake to cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. Mine was too thin after 5 minutes so I placed the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. It still wasn’t as thick as I really wanted but I did

pour it from the center of the cake using a ladle spoon.

I didn’t use most of what I made but the ladies said they thought it was just the right amount. I also never saw Roxanne’s cake, just one slice, so I don’t know how her cake looked. I covered the cake carrier with the lid and stored in the refrigerator at Fran's until we were ready to serve it.