CHOCOLATE CAKE - WITH MILK CHOCOLATE FILLING

By akselden

Filling and frosting need refrigeration for at least 1 hour.

Ingredients

• CAKE:
• 3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 T. boiling water
• 1/3 C. cake flour
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 C. unsalted butter, softened
• FILLING:
• 1/4 C. plus 2 T. whipping cream
• 1 oz. finely chopped milk chocolate
• BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
• 1/4 C. pasturized liquid egg whites or 2 egg whites from pasturized "shell eggs"
• 2/3 C. sugar
• 3 T. water
• 1 1/2 C. butter, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, optional (for chocolate buttercream)

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

FOR CAKE:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter and flour four 4" x 2" x 1 1/2" mini loaf pans. Shake out excess flour. Set aside.

2. Combine cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl; stir. Cool 10 minutes. In second bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well. In third bowl combine egg and vanilla; stir in 1 T. cocoa mixture.

3. Add flour mixture and butter to remaining cocoa mixture; beat with electric mixer on low speed to blend. Continue beating on medium 1 1/2 minutes. Add egg mixture, 1/2 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour into prepared pans.

4. Bake 15-16 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cakes on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks; cool completely. Freeze two cakes for later use.

FOR FILLING:
5. In bowl beat 1/4 C. whipping cream to soft peaks with electric mixer on medium speed. In small bowl, place finely chopped milk chocolate.

6. In saucepan, bring 2 T. whipping cream to boil. Add to chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Stir in small amount of whipped cream to lighten. Fold in remaining whipping cream. Cover; chill 1 hour or until ready to use. Can be frozen for up to one month.

FOR BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
7. Allow whites to stand at room temperature 30 minutes in a medium bowl. Add dash of salt.

8. Beat with clean beaters until frothy; set aside.

9. In small saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to boil stirring to dissolve sugar. Gradually drizzle sugar syrup into egg whites while beating with mixer on medium to high speed. Continue beating until very frothy. Gradually beat in butter, one T. at a time, until creamy and smooth. (Mixture may appear curdled during beating, but will become creamy when all of the butter is added.) Beat in vanilla until combined. If making chocolate buttercream, beat in bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooler, with vanilla until combined.

10. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Let stand at room temperature until softened. Makes 2 2/3 C. frosting.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE:
11. With serrated knife, trim tops and sides of cakes so they are the same size. Spread one cake with 2 T. Milk Chocolate Filling. Top with remaining cake. Frost stack with 2/3 C. Chocolate Buttercream. Place cake in freezer 1 hour.

12. To decorate cake, roll out fondant 1/8 to 1/4" thick on surface sprinkled with powdered sugar. Place over chilled cake. Trim to fit over cake. Place another 2/3 C. Chocolate Buttercream Frosting in pastry bag fitted with small round tip. Place melted chocolate in small disposable plastic bag; snip of small corner. Use Chocolate Buttercream Frosting and melted chocolate to pipe alternate color dots over top and sides of cake. Makes 1 cake (2 servings) plus 2 layer cakes.