This chocolate number cake is perfect for celebrating any true chocolate lover! Not only is it visually stunning, but a number cake like this also adds a wonderful personal touch to any celebration, whether it's a birthday, anniversary, or milestone event. With its rich chocolatey goodness, this recipe is sure to be a winner!
One of the best things about this chocolate number cake is that it looks impressive but is actually quite easy to make. The cake is baked in a regular baking pan and then cut into the desired number shape with a sharp knife. After that, it’s all about the decorating!
My amazing husband recently turned 35, and even though he doesn’t like being reminded that he’s nearing 40, I believe it’s an age worth celebrating in style! So, I baked and decorated two beautiful chocolate number cakes for the occasion. He loves chocolate and berries, so I made his number cake with both.
How to Cut and Decorate a Number Cake
The trick to a perfect number cake is to cut it using a template. First, cut the cake and then decorate it. Here’s how to do it:
Print or draw a number on a piece of paper and cut it out as a template.
Place the template on the completely cooled chocolate cake and cut around the edges with a sharp knife.
Pipe chocolate buttercream all over the top of the cake using a piping bag and nozzle.
Decorate the cake with chocolates and berries as desired. Make sure the fruit is completely dry before placing it on the buttercream..
Recommended piping tips
I used a star nozzle to pipe buttercream on my number cakes. I recommend the following star nozzles for this purpose: Wilton 2D or Wilton 1M.
What to Decorate Your Number Cake With
Number cakes can be decorated however you like. The only limit is your imagination! I decorated my number cakes with:
Toffifee (a caramel hazelnut chocolate candy available here in Scandiavia)
Mini chocolate bars
Malteser’s crunchy chocolate balls
Mini crispy chocolate balls
Fresh blueberries
Fresh blackberries
Can This Number Cake be Made Ahead?
You can prepare most number cakes well in advance. For instance, with this number cake you can bake the cake the night before and cut it into the number shape once it’s cooled. Wrap the number tightly in plastic wrap after it has cooled completely to prevent it from drying out, and leave it on the kitchen counter overnight.
You could also bake the cake months ahead and freeze it. I recommend max 2 months before serving and make sure to wrap it in 2 layers of plastic wrap before freezing to prevent any freezer damage. Transfer the cake to the fridge to thaw.
Your number cake should be decorated on the same day it will be served. Decorate it at least one hour before serving to allow the buttercream to set. You can also decorate the cake in the morning and store it in the fridge or a cool room all day. In this case, it’s a good idea to gently cover the cake with plastic wrap (after the buttercream has set) to prevent it from drying out in the fridge.
Important tip
Take the cake out of the fridge at least one hour before serving to avoid serving a cold and hard chocolate cake.
Celebrate someone you love with a personal chocolate number cake! This number cake is made with a delicious moist chocolate cake and decorated with fresh fruit and lots of chocolate!
Start by drawing a template of your number on a piece of paper, measuring approximately 20x30 cm (8x12 inches) and cut it out.
Preheat your oven to 175 °C (347 °F). Grease a square baking pan that’s slightly larger than 20x30 cm (8x12 inches).
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the bowl and mix them into the butter-sugar mixture until well combined.
185 g butter, 300 g sugar, 4 eggs
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Roughly chop the dark chocolate and melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave. Make sure to stir it occasionally to prevent burning. Pour the melted chocolate into the flour mixture and stir well with a spatula, adding the milk as you go.
180 g flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, 50 g dark chocolate, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 2 dl milk
Combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture, using your mixer until you have a smooth chocolate batter.
Pour the chocolate batter into your prepared baking pan and bake at 175 °C (347 °F) for 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once baked, remove the chocolate cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
After the cake has completely cooled, run a knife along the edges and flip it out onto a cutting board so the bottom is facing up. If it sticks, gently slide a knife underneath to loosen it.
Decide which part of the cake you prefer to showcase (top or bottom). If you want the top side up, flip the template over. If you prefer the bottom side up, keep the template as is. Place the template on top of the cake and carefully cut around it with a sharp knife.
Transfer the chocolate cake to the plate or board you’ll be serving it on. If you want the bottom side up, flip it onto another cutting board first so that the bottom is facing up when placed on the serving dish.
Chocolate buttercream:
In a bowl, combine the softened butter and vanilla. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the mixture until fluffy.
40 g butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla
Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the milk, while continuing to mix.
250-275 g powdered sugar, 3-4 tbsp milk
Chop the chocolate coarsely (or use chocolate chips) and melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly.
40 g dark chocolate
Pour the melted chocolate into the butter mixture and beat until the buttercream is a uniform light brown color. Adjust the consistency by adding a little more milk or powdered sugar if needed. The buttercream should be firm enough to hold its shape but soft enough to pipe.
Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a tip.
Toppings:
Prepare all your decorations and have them easily accessible.
Pipe small stars or your desired pattern all over your chocolate number cake. Then, decorate the cake with chocolate and fruit as you like.
Blueberries, Blackberries, Malteser's chocolate balls, Toffifee chocolates, Mini chocolate bars, Mini chocolate balls
Refrigerate the chocolate cake until the buttercream is completely set.
Remember to take the chocolate number cake out of the fridge at least two hours before serving for the best texture.
Notes
*1 batch of this recipe makes 1 number cake, approx. 20x30 cm (8x12 inches). Servings vary a bit on which number you create, i.e. the letter 1 has fewer servings than the letter 8.
RATE THE RECIPE
Tag @bageglad på Instagram så jeg kan se og dele det du har lavet!
Hi, I’m Trine – home baker from Copenhagen, Denmark. “Bageglad” means happy to bake in Danish and I have been spreading this happiness on the blog since 2012. Today, it reaches more home bakers worldwide than I could ever have dreamed of! Thank you for visiting!
Hi, I’m Trine – home baker from Copenhagen, Denmark. “Bageglad” means happy to bake in Danish and I have been spreading this happiness on the blog since 2012. Today, it reaches more home bakers worldwide than I could ever have dreamed of! Thank you for visiting!
Time: 3 hours 
Difficulty: Moderate
Yield: 1 number*
