Hello! Long time reader, first time poster. 

I am making my first fondant covered cake for my nephew's Bar Mitzvah in a few weeks and I'm a nervous wreck about it.  I've promised my brother that the cake wouldn't be a problem but as the date approaches the pressure is starting to mount on me. 

I've completed one miniature cake which wasn't horrible  but the buttercream underneath was not completely smooth, so the fondant didn't smooth out and it tore slightly.  Plus the cake was dry. 

I have a good idea what I need to fix but my biggest hurdle right now figuring out the best cake recipe to use.

The second test gave me a delicious tasting, moist cake but it was too delicate to cover.  In fact, I barely got it covered in buttercream before it fell apart on me. 

I need something that falls in between my dry cake and this last test batch. 

Specifics:  Bottom layer will be 12 inch round chocolate cake with white chocolate ganache and top layer  will be yellow/vanilla cake with chocolate ganache in the center and likely white chocolate ganache around the outside (the kid loves chocolate).   

I should add this is also my first big layer cake.  I normally keep them small - 6 to 8 inches.  Any recommendations for the size of the top layer.  Do I go 10 inches or stick with 8? 

Thanks so much!

Sorry no one has answered you.  I hope this hasn't dissapointed you in this site.   I only have a couple of minutes left on my computer time but hopefully I can help you at least some.

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Welcome to Cake Central as a first time poster!   I hobby bake and typically use doctored cake mixes.  People love the taste and these recipes provide consistent results that can be covered with fondant. 

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE CAKE

Single recipe:

1 Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix powder (15.5-16.5 oz.) (just use the cake mix powder)

1 box (3.4 oz) Chocolate Instant Pudding powder

1/2 cup flour, sifted

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup canola oil

Single Recipe Yield: 2 ea 8”x2” rounds (about 55 minutes at 325F), or 1 ea 10x2” rounds (about 67-75 minutes @ 325),

or 24 cupcakes

Fill cake pans 1/2 to just under 2/3 full, this recipe will rise above pan during baking, then sink back to 2” cooled height. Cakes will have some shrinking around outer edges. On all pans larger than 8": Must use parchment collar and Wilton No. 7 or No. 9 Flower Nail in center of larger pan, and must also use Wilton Bake-Even Strip, or homemade wet-towel-strip, around pan.

More info in this thread about recipe above: 

http://www.cakecentral.com/forum/t/822265/made-large-cake-with-parchment-flower-nails-and-forgot-bake-even-strips

Sour Cream White Cake
1 package (16.5 oz.) Duncan Hines white cake mix

1/2 cup flour

1/8 to 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup  canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond (you can also use vanilla, lemon, etc.) extract

 This white recipe is very dependable, consistent, tasty,  & durable enough to stack and carve.  It also makes lovely cupcakes.  You can use gel colors to color the batter of the white cake.    This is a version of a cake recipe from the book:  The Cake Mix Doctor, by Anne Byrn, ISBN: 0761117199.  (Updated to reflect additions required with new, smaller mixes as of 2012)

* * * * *

I'd recommend going with a 12" bottom layer and an 8" top layer if you must have a 2 tier cake.  You may wish to just have two separate cakes.

Recommend you bake a "practice" cake with each new recipe above before using them for a big event.   Good luck! 

The recipes apti posted for you use a box mix.  If I thought you were interested I';d have posted my "Original WASC" recipe for you.  It is a proven (world wide!) recipe.  Here is the link:  http://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/7445/the-original-wasc-cake-recipe

If for some reason that doesn't work just do a google or yahoo search for "Kakeladi's Original WASC recipe" and dozens of likes come up as it has been re-posted to soooo any different sites.

Thank you for the suggestions.  I should have specified in the beginning that I am a from scratch baker only.  I recently tested a chocolate cake found from epicurious with a few modifications and it seems to work well.  The chocolate flavor was lacking but that's nothing a boost of cocoa powder and some melted chocolate can't fix.  

Here's a quick shot I took of it after I cut a slice (excuse the too small cake board underneath, it's what I had at home).  

[postimage id="5649" thumb="900"]

That's a lovely cake!  Wishing you luck finding the "perfect" scratch recipe!

http://www.pillsburybaking.com/recipes/deluxe-devils-food-cake-3107

This is is my favorite chocolate cake recipe. I have made it many many times. I have not used the frosting included with the recipe so I cannot comment on that. I Have covered it  with BC, ganache and fondant.  It is easy, and has never failed me.   it is moist and rich with a very chocolatey  taste.  I use Hershey's special dark cocoa.  I have tried many others and keep coming back to this. It is from the back of the Softasilk cake flour box. Good luck!

Hi!

I have been looking for a chocolate fondant recipe and I found this great one from Delices and Gourmandises website. I like the fact that it doesn’t require much ingredients. Additionnaly, it seems quite easy to prepare so that makes it even exciting.
http://delicesandgourmandises.over-blog.com/2015/12/chocolate-fondant-a-quick-and-easy-recipe-by-delices-gourmandises.html