Thursday, March 27, 2008

Chocolate Malted Layer Cake

I cannot tell you how many malted milk chocolate cakes I have made in my lifetime. Too many. The problem seems to be that most recipes call for crushed “Whoppers”. Which is okay, but the malted milk flavor seems to get lost during the baking. The recipes then try to redeem themselves by adding more “Whoppers” in the frosting. That only results in a cake looking bumpy and unappetizing. Until now.

The cake before you is from “The Sweet Melissa Baking Book” written by Melissa Murphy. The Chocolate Malted Layer Cake …oh does it live up to its name. It has a whole cup of malted milk powder in the frosting. I could have ate the icing with a spoon and then died utterly content. The cake is moist, tender and absolutely chocolate-y. Paired together, it has a too die for combination.

There are a myriad of recipes in the book that I want try. So many recipes, so little post-its. Yes, the book is under attack by post-its. Almost every single recipe has a post-it on it to remind me “I must try this soon”.

There are over a 100 recipes in the book! The book is divided into six chapters: dessert for breakfast, after school snacks, birthday, and gifts and so on. The recipes are written in a manner that allows one to “set-up” their “mise en place”. Melissa even offers “pro-tips” which I found extremely helpful. Simply a great book packed full of recipes and tips that can only lead to stunning delicious desserts.

I cannot wait to try more of the recipes out. For example, Orange Scented Scones, Bee Stings, Pistachio Linzer Thumbprints, Lemon Icebox Cake, and Pistachio Opera Fudge. Are just a couple of the recipes at the top of my list.









FOR THE CAKE:

6 ounces best-quality unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup canola oil
2 & 2/3 cups sugar
1 & 2/3 cups AP flour
1/3 cup of unsweetened dutch cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon of kosher salt
2/3 cup of sour cream
3 large eggs
1 & 1/3 cups of hot fresh brewed coffee


FOR THE CHOCOLATE MALTED FROSTING:
1 pound best quality milk chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup malted milk powder
¼ cup light corn syrup
8 tablespoons of butter, at room temp.
8 ounces of malted milk balls

Position the rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter and flour two 9x2-inch cake rounds (I used two 5x2-inch pans and halved the recipe). Line each pan with parchment paper.

1. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is melted whisk in the oil until smooth. Remove from the heat and keep warm over the water.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.

3. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and the sour cream smooth.

4. Add the egg mixture to the flour and mix until well combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the melted chocolate and mix well. Add the hot coffee in a steady stream until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl (the batter is thin).

5. Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 25 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on the wire racks.

FROSTING:

1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a medium bowl.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Whisk in the malted milk powder to combine. Pour over the chocolate. Do not stir. Wait five minutes, and then whisk chocolate until creamy. Stir in the corn syrup. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the chocolate and let cool to room temperature.

3. When the chocolate is cooled, place it in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter one tablespoon at a time and mix on low until smooth.

4. The icing is the filling and frosting for this cake. I chose to cut my cake into four layers and placed a small amount of icing in between each layer. I stored the cake in the fridge.

35 comments:

slush said...

OMG its gorgeous! That is the birthday cake of my dreams right there. Its enormous!

Anonymous said...

i have to taste this cake!

Brilynn said...

That is one serious cake, it looks awesome!

Deborah said...

My copy should be here next week - I can't wait!!

Annemarie said...

Ah, another Sweet Melissa recipe that looks delectable. I also hugely admire your smooth cake sides, Gigi - mine never get iced so gently, despite my best patience. :)

Sarah said...

This looks so yummy! I would get annoyed making malted cake out of whoppers... :) While candy belongs in many a dessert, this seems like a much better alternative for the malt flavor!

Mari said...

YUM! I love sky high cakes, and this one looks rich and creamy! Love it!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

oh my goodness, I haven't eaten malted-milk balls in YEARS (since they're not vegan, haha) - that cake looks nothing less than spectacular, Gigi! love it!

Mallow said...

Beautiful! I can't wait to try this - I LOOOOOOVE malt. YUM.

test it comm said...

That cake looks so good! It has been a long time since I have had anything malt. Now I am craving it!

Katie said...

OMG that cake looks amazing! So tall and chocolaty. Do try out some other recipes from that book soon. Another recipe added to the 'must try' list.

grace said...

just give me a bowl of that icing and a big spoon and i'll be one happy gal. :)

Half Baked said...

This cake looks amazing!!! Beautiful job! I need this cookbook, I've seen recipes popping up everywhere and they all look great. Can't wait to try this cake:)

My Sweet & Saucy said...

I am so excited you tried this! I have had this recipe under post-it attack too and have been dying to try it! I am so glad it turned out so tasty...and beautiful!

Unknown said...

oh my...this look soooo delicious. i love malted anything. beautiful blog. i love your recipes and pictures...i will come around often for some sweet inspiration! cheers.~

sandhya said...

the cake looks fantastic... i am surely going to try this...

Cakespy said...

I love everything Sweet Melissa. They're wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Yum, I just love malt! It's a shame that it usually has milk mixed in when you buy the powder, but luckily, I've found a vegan source online. I bet this would be a fantastic cake to veganize!

Kim Thomas said...

That cake looks delicious. Since I'm in Pasadena, you should invite me over for a big bite. LOL

Gigi said...

Slush: This cake makes you weak in the knees when you eat it!

Kristin: I wish I could mail you a piece to try.

Brilynn: This definitely a cake worthy of your motto ...go big or go home! :)

Deborah: You're going to love, love this book!

Annemarie: Thanks sweetie!

Sarah: The malt flavor totally comes through without over powering the chocolate.

Mevrouw: I agree, there's just something “out of this world” when a sky high cake shows up.

Veggie girl: I hope they start to make vegan malt balls or just malt so you can bake this cake soon.

Mallow: ...thanks!

Kevin: Give in to your cravings. It's worth it!

Katie: There's a recipe that I want to make, just for you!

A. Grace: You're my kind of girl!

Half Baked: You will not be disappointed with this cake.

My sweet & saucy: You must bake this.

Octavine: Thank you! I look forward to your visits!

Sandhya: If you like malt or chocolate, you'll love it!

Cakespy: I too love all things Melissa! Where has she been all my life?

Hannah: You must veganize this, do it for the greater good, do it for vegans everywhere!

Kim: Wow, another fellow Pasadena citizen! I am always trying to give away cake, you need to tell me which Starbucks you hang out at so I can give you CAKE!

Allison said...

oh myyyy, I think I am in love...
I NEEEED to try this. Now. ok maybe not now. but certainly the next time I make cake. thanks!
also, I loooove the way you frosted it! So nice looking!

aforkfulofspaghetti said...

What are you trying to do to me?? Looks absolutely choc-tastic!

Kim Thomas said...

Gigi-I can be found daily at the Starbucks by Best Buy

Yummy :)

Shaheen said...

Your cake looks positively stunning!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Gigi, that cake is divine! I have never tried malted cakes.

marae said...

Gigi this cake looks DIVINE...I could just eat it up. I am about to head off and buy that book NOW.

eatme_delicious said...

Oh my excuse me while I drool all over your blog. This cake look stunning! I've never had a chocolate malted cake but I've been wanting to make chocolate malt something and this looks perfect.

eatme_delicious said...

Oh and can I ask how you ice the sides of your cake so perfectly? My icing jobs always look very "homemade"/rustic.

Gigi said...

Eat me delicious,

I first give the cake a crumb coat, then with a small offset spatula ice the sides of the cake in an "up & down motion". Slightly over lapping each iced side.

Anonymous said...

Oh this looks simply too good! I've never tried malt cakes, though I'm a huge fan of malt. I'm sure gonna give this a try. Thanks for sharing, sweetie!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

holy smokes that looks great! i have this book, too, and have been hearing this recipe whisper my name!

Helene said...

I am so excited you made it as the husband requested it for his birthday in July. Wait until I show him your pictures! Fabulous!

Jackie said...

Hi Gigi

When is the 8 ounces of Malted Milk Balls incorporated into the frosting recipe. Also check out the coconut cake with pasion fruit filling in the sweet melissa book, it sounds great.

Hira M. said...

I use this recipe often, but I reduce the amount of coffee to half a cup for a more consistent batter and replace the milk chocolate in the icing with baking chocolate and double the cream. It's one of my patent cakes! Thankyou for posting the recipe =))

Hira M. said...

Oh my did I just say patent? Regular I meant =)