Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. While the butter is creaming, sift all dry ingredients (cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt) in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Step 3

Add eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time. Then add half the dry ingredients. Mix well.

Step 4

Add half the buttermilk and then the remainder of the dry ingredients. Finally, add the rest of the buttermilk and then the vanilla extract.

Step 5

Bake in three 8-inch round pans for 35 minutes or until center is springy. (I used three 10-inch pans and baked for 25 minutes).

Step 6

If using gelatin, "bloom" 1 Tablespoon of gelatin in 1/4 cup of cold water for 5 minutes.

Step 7

While gelatin is "blooming," whip the cream in a stand mixer (or a handheld one). Slowly add the confectioners sugar and cream of tartar (if using) until you reach stiff peaks.

Step 8

Melt 1 TBSP of the gelatin mixture in the microwave on low for about 10 seconds or until melted. Add the mixture to the whipped cream to help it stabilize. (Again, I did not use gelatin so I skipped this step.)

Step 9

Put one layer of the chocolate cake down on a cake pedestal or a cake board. Build a whipped cream "wall" around the circumference of the cake. Do this twice so you have two layers of whipped cream. Crumb Boss uses a large star tip, but any tip will do.

Step 10

Fill the inside of the cake with peaches, strawberries and bananas.

Step 11

Add more whipped cream to the top of the cake so your cake now looks like a pyramid on the top.

Step 12

Take the second layer of cake and crumble it so you have a lot of small crumbs and set aside. (I added a second layer of cake, whipped cream and fruit filling and crumbled the third layer instead.)

Step 13

With the final layer of cake, cut a wedge out of it so it looks like Pac-Man. Fold the Pac-Man layer into a cone and set it on top of the cake. (I ran out of whipped cream so I skipped this step. Instead, I crumbled this layer and used it as the exterior crumb for the cake.)

Step 14

Using an offset spatula, smooth out the whipped cream all around the top and the sides of the cake. To get a perfectly smooth surface, use a parchment cut into the shape of a triangle and using one swift motion, drag the parchment from the bottom to the top of the cake and over to the other side. (I did not do this step.)

Step 15

Add the cake crumbs over the cake and garnish with additional strawberries if desired.