Description
This professional-style chocolate layer cake combines a feather-light cocoa chiffon sponge with two decadent fillings: a silky dark chocolate crmeux and a mascarpone-stabilized milk chocolate whipped ganache. It is a sophisticated dessert that offers a perfect balance of deep cocoa intensity and creamy sweetness.
Ingredients
- 70% Dark chocolate (such as Valrhona Guanaja)
- Milk chocolate (such as Jivara)
- Mascarpone cheese
- Heavy cream (30% fat or higher)
- Egg yolks
- Granulated sugar
- Whole milk
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Neutral oil (grape seed or sunflower)
- Egg whites
Instructions
- Prepare the dark chocolate cr meux by heating milk and cream in a saucepan, tempering egg yolks whisked with sugar, and cooking the mixture into a custard; pour over dark chocolate, blend until smooth, and refrigerate overnight.
- Create the whipped ganache base by melting milk chocolate and emulsifying it with hot cream, then stirring in cold liquid cream and mascarpone; blend well and chill overnight.
- Bake the chiffon cake by whisking flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and sugar, then mixing in oil, milk, and egg yolks before folding in egg whites whipped to stiff peaks with the remaining sugar.
- Bake the cake batter in prepared pans at 320 F (160 C) for 35–45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Whip the chilled milk chocolate mascarpone mixture until it holds firm peaks, being careful not to over-whip.
- Assemble the cake by slicing into layers, piping a ring of whipped ganache around the edge, filling the center with cr meux, and coating the exterior with the remaining ganache.
Notes
Ensure your egg whites are whipped in a completely grease-free bowl to achieve the necessary structure for the chiffon sponge. For the cleanest slices and best flavor, allow the assembled cake to chill for at least two hours before serving, but let the individual slices sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften the chocolate.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French-American