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This recipe is the exact same four layers as the Costco Tuxedo Cake, but homemade! You can make this cake with wholesome ingredients excluding unnecessary preservatives and additives that spoil desserts! When you shop, purchase real buttermilk and cream, pure vanilla extract and well sourced cocoa powder. The difference that quality ingredients make is well worth it.
Although it may seem overwhelming with the four layers and many steps to assemble the cake, I tried to keep them short and basic so that you can easily move from step to step. Once you have made this cake once and are familiar with the steps, you will see that it is not a tricky cake after all. I think this is a cake recipe for the books.
The name of the cake is called “tuxedo” because of the black and white layers, like that of a traditional tuxedo or suit.
The Costco four layer cake skips out on the vanilla cake, which makes it easier when baking at home since you only need to mix and bake one type of cake layer. The cake is kept moist with the flavour filled two chocolate mouse layers: regular chocolate and white mouse.
Tools You May Need
5 Mixing bowls (x2 Small, x2 Medium, Large)
Double Boiler (I use a small pot and my regular glass mixing bowsl)
Kitchen Scale or Measuring Cups
Measuring spoons
Hand mixer or Stand Mixer
2 Cake Pans (8 inch worked well for me)
1 Bread Loaf Pan (9 x 5 inch worked well for me)
Spatula
Small Pot
Cake Mold (I used an oven dish the same size as my cake pans)
Cling Wrap (also called Glad wrap)
Step-By-Step Costco Tuxedo Cake Recipe
Chocolate Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease x 2 cake pans (8 inch pans work well). In a MEDIUM bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
In a LARGE bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract, and then whisk in the oil and sour cream until combined.
Fold in HALF of the dry ingredients, then fold in the buttermilk and coffee. Then fold in the OTHER HALF of the dry ingredients.
Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 35 minutes (or until a fork comes out clean without any batter attached).
Remove the cake pans from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes. Extract cakes from pans and let them cool.
Brownie
Layer parchment paper into bread pan.
In a MEDIUM bowl, mix dry ingredients together. In SMALL bowl, melt the chocolate and butter together on a double boiler on your stovetop.
In a LARGE bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars and vanilla until it’s fluffy. Once the chocolate is melted, whisk into egg mixture (LARGE BOWL) until it is thick. Then fold in there dry ingredients.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes (or until a fork comes out clean without any batter attached).Once cool, dice into 2-3 inch squares.
Chocolate Mousse
In the SMALL bowl, melt the chocolate and butter on a double boiler on your stovetop
Separate egg whites from egg yolks.
Ready 3 mixing bowls for the next steps (preparing your egg whites, cream, and egg yolks mix)
In BOWL 1 (medium), whip the EGG WHITES, cream of tartar and salt until it reaches stiff peaks. Mix in HALF of the sugar as you whip the egg whites.
For BOWL 2 (small), whip the CREAM until it reaches stiff peaks.
Then in BOWL 3 (medium), whisk the EGG YOLKS + OTHER HALF OF SUGAR and vanilla extract over a double boiler on your stovetop
Still on the stovetop with the heat turned down to low, fold in the egg whites mixture (into the egg yolk mixture on the stove). Then fold in the cream until just combined.
Construction of Cake
Layer a oven dish with cling wrap (or Glad wrap) carefully to ensure the entire base and sides are covered well. If you have a cake mold, you don’t need to do this step.
Start with a cake layer at the bottom, then sprinkle the brownie pieces on top.
Pour over the chocolate mouse and place cake in fridge to cool for 1 hour.
White Chocolate Mousse
Ready 3 bowls for the next steps (preparing the heavy cream, cream cheese and chocolate).
In your BOWL 1 (small), mix the HEAVY CREAM until it has stiff peaks. My handheld mixer is at full speed for this step.
For the BOWL 2 (medium), whip the CREAM CHEESE until its fluffy.
Then in BOWL 3 (small), melt the chocolate and butter on a double boiler on your stovetop.
Whisk the chocolate into the cream cheese until combined. Add the vanilla extract and then fold in the heavy cream until combined.
Pour the white chocolate mousse over the chocolate mousse layer and then layer the second cake on top. Return to fridge and cool overnight (or at least 8 hours).
Chocolate Ganache
You have come thus far!!
Remove the cake from the mold by pulling upward on the cling wrap carefully and place cake on a cake plate.
In a small bowl, melt the chocolate and heavy cream on a double boiler on your stovetop to make th ganache.
Next, pour the ganache onto the cake beginning in the centre (it will flow slightly outward). You can use a cake spatula to smooth out the ganache layer.
I have stored the cake in fridge for up 2 weeks!
My Favourite Kitchen Appliances
Tuxedo Cake Recipe
Finally, the long awaited Tuxedo Cake Recipe. If you make this recipe, please come back and give this recipe a rating!
Print Recipe
3.34 from 3 votes
Costco Tuxedo Cake Recipe (Step-By-Step)
This cake is not for the faint of heart, BUT this homemade recipe will tasted even better than Costco's tuxedo cake! This chocolate mouse cake is inspired by the very good tasting Costco tuxedo cake. The layers are moist and creamy, perfectly complimenting the dark cocoa cake and brownie pieces.
Prep Time2 days d 2 hours hrs
Cook Time2 hours hrs
Fridge Time10 hours hrs
Total Time14 hours hrs
Course: Christmas Baking, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Birthday Cake, Brownie, Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Layered Cake, Chocolate Mouse, Chocolate Mouse Cake, Cocao, Decadent Cake, Ganache, Holiday Cake, Layered Cake, Mouse, White Cholocate Mouse
Servings: 12 slices
Equipment
Hand or Stand Mixer
Several Mixing bowls x2 Small, 2x Medium, x1 Large
Mixing Cups and Spoons or a Volume Scale
2 Cake Pans 8 inched worked well
1 Bread Loaf Pan 9 x 5 inches worked well
Whisk
Spatula
Small Pot or double boiler set up
Cake Mold or a oven dish the size of you cake pans
Cling Wrap also called Glad Wrap
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2/3 cup Flour 160ml
- 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder (Dutch Pressed) 80ml
- 1 tsp Baking Powder 5ml
- 1/4 tsp heaped Baking Soda 2.75ml
- 1/3 tsp Salt 2.75ml (1/4 tsp heaped)
- 1/3 tsp Ground Cinnamon 2.75ml (1/4 tsp heaped)
- 1/3 tsp Ground Espresso 2.75ml (1/4 tsp heaped)
- 3 tbps Unsalted Butter 45ml
- 3/4 cups Granulated Sugar 180ml
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 2.5ml
- 1 tbsp Sunflower Oil 15ml
- 1 tbsp Sour Cream 15ml
- 1/3 cup Buttermilk 80ml
- 3 tbsp Strong Coffee 45ml
Brownie
- 1/3 cup Flour 80ml
- 3 tps Cocoa Powder (Dutch Pressed) 45ml
- 1/2 tsp Salt 2.5ml
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon 5ml
- 4 tsp Found Espresso 5ml
- 1/4 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate 120ml
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter 60ml
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar 118ml
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar 60ml
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 5ml
Chocolate Mouse
- 2 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate 60ml
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter 30ml
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 tsp Salt 1.25ml
- 1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar 60ml
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 2.5ml
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream 60ml
White Chocolate Mouse
- 4 oz Cream Cheese 120ml
- 3 oz White Chocolate 90ml
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter 60ml
- 1/4 tsp Salt 1ml
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream 118ml
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 2.5ml
Chocolate Ganache
- 3 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate 90ml
- 3 tbsp Heavy Cream 45ml
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Grease x 2 cake pans (8 inch pans work well)
In a MEDIUM bowl, mix dry ingredients together
In a LARGE bowl, cream together butter and sugar
Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract
Whisk in the oil and sour cream until combined
Fold in half of the dry ingredients
Fold in the buttermilk and coffee
Fold in the other half of the dry ingredients
Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 35 minutes (or until a fork comes out clean without any batter attached)
Remove the cake pans from the oven and let them rest for a few minutes
Extract cakes from pans and let them cool
Brownie
Layer parchment paper into bread pan
In a MEDIUM bowl, mix dry ingredients together
In SMALL bowl, melt the chocolate and butter together on a double boiler on your stovetop
In a LARGE bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars and vanilla until its fluffy
Once the chocolate is melted, whisk into egg mixture (LARGE BOWL) until its thick
Fold in there dry ingredients
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes (or until a fork comes out clean without any batter attached)
Once cool, dice into 2-3 inch squares
Chocolate Mousse
In a SMALL bowl, melt the chocolate and butter on a double boiler on your stovetop
Separate egg whites from egg yolks
Ready 3 mixing bowls for the next steps (preparing your egg whites, cream, and egg yolks mix)
In BOWL 1 (medium), whip the EGG WHITES, cream of tartar and salt until it reaches stiff peaks. Mix in HALF of the sugar as you whip the egg whites.
In BOWL 2 (small), whip the CREAM until it reaches stiff peaks
In BOWL 3 (medium), whisk the EGG YOLKS + OTHER HALF OF SUGAR and vanilla extract over a double boiler on your stovetop
Still on the stovetop with the heat turned down to low, fold in the egg whites mixture (into the egg yolk mixture on the stove)
Then fold in the cream until just combined
Construction of Cake
Layer a oven dish with cling wrap (or Glad wrap) carefully to ensure the entire base and sides are covered well. If you have a cake mold, you don't need to do this step.
Start with a cake layer at the bottom
Sprinkle the brownie pieces on top
Pour over the chocolate mouse
Place cake in fridge to cool for 1 hour
White Chocolate Mousse
Ready 3 bowls for the next steps (preparing the heavy cream, cream cheese and chocolate)
In BOWL 1 (small), mix the HEAVY CREAM until it has stiff peaks. My handheld mixer is at full speed for this step.
In BOWL 2 (medium), whip the CREAM CHEESE until its fluffy
In BOWL 3 (small), melt the chocolate and butter on a double boiler on your stovetop
Whisk the chocolate into the cream cheese until combined
Add the vanilla extract
Fold in the heavy cream until combined
Pour the white chocolate mousse over the chocolate mousse layer
Layer the second cake on top
Return to fridge and cool overnight (or at least 8 hours)
Chocolate Ganache
Remove the cake from the mold by pulling upward on the cling wrap carefully
Place cake on a cake plate
In a small bowl, melt the chocolate and heavy cream on a double boiler on your stovetop to make th ganache
Pour the ganache onto the cake beginning in the centre (it will flow slightly outward)
Use a cake spatula to smooth out the ganache layer
Store in fridge for up 2 weeks
Video
Notes
Definitions:
Whisk: Use a whisk to mix ingredients
Whip: Use a mixer (handheld or counter mix)
Fold: Use a spatular and with circular motions fold inward to mix
Tips:
- Buy wholesome ingredients. It is true that “real food” tastes much better with true ingredients. None of the “cheaply processed” and aftermarket created stuff, just real plain and preserved food. This cake tastes much better with high quality vanilla, cocoa and real heavy cream.
- Sift your dry ingredients if you are using items from your pantry that are older than a year
- Use a volume scale. I’ve included the volume measurements, ml (millilitre) is the same as g (grams)
Tips for Making Tuxedo Cake
- Where you can, use a volume scale: this will make measuring the ingredients much quicker and save you form having to wash your measuring cups and spoons every time!
- Buy wholesome ingredients: this makes the difference between a good tasting cake and a great tasting cake! And you want to benefit from the true taste of this tuxedo cake recipe, so choose to use the “real” stuff.
- Sift old dry ingredients: I’ve used an older batch of cocoa before that had some clumps in it, and these did not mix well into the cake batter. I recommend that you sift ingredients like this if they’ve been on your shelf for some time.
Master List of Ingredients
If you need to check if you have all the ingredients or need to go grocery store:
Flour – 396ml
Cocao – 205ml
Baking Powder – 10ml
Baking Soda – 375ml
Salt – 8.75ml
Cinnamon – 6.25ml
Butter – 230ml
Espresso – 8.75ml
Sugar – 578ml
Vanilla – 12.5ml
Sunflower Oil – 30ml
Sour Cream – 30ml
Buttermilk – 180ml
Strong Coffee – 80ml
Bittersweet Chocolates – 270ml
White Chocolates – 90ml
Light Brown Sugar – 60ml
6 Eggs
Cream of Tartar – 1/8 tsp
Heavy Cream 223ml
Pin the Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake
Happy baking and celebrating!!
