CHOCOLATE WEDDING CAKE WITH MOUSSE FILLING

Right, the wedding cake: its a long one.
The rolled chocolate sticks I obviously bought, I would have ended up slitting my wrists if I had to try make those!
This is the original recipe, I adapted the volume to make one 16 cm tin and one 26 cm tin.

Chocolate Cake:
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cups cocoa powder (I used Dutch processed)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs, room temperature (I used 2 large eggs and about half of another egg)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180 ºC). Butter and flour, two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.
Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet to combine.
Slowly add the hot coffee just until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

For the filling: Chocolate Mousse
*Note – you can probably halve this recipe depending on how much filling you like. I prefer a very thick layer of filling and had just enough left over for some simple decoration for the finished cake, plus a couple extra spoonfuls for a taste test. 😉

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (230 g)
2 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
5 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Whiskey
2 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon sugar, divided into 1 ½ teaspoons each
pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold heavy cream

Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso powder, water and whiskey in a medium heat proof bowl. Heat over a double boiler, stirring frequently until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, 1 ½ teaspoons sugar and salt. Whisk until mixture lightens and thickens slightly (about 30 seconds if using an electric mixer). Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and whisk until combined. Set aside until mixture cools to just warmer than room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat egg whites on medium speed until frothy; add remaining 1 ½ teaspoons sugar and increase speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form. Stir about ¼ of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until only a few white streaks remain.

Using your now empty mixer bowl (no need to wash it), whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate/egg white mixture until no white streaks remain. Cover and refrigerate until firm for at least 2 hours (or up to 24).

For the frosting: Simple Ganache
5 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped (142 g)
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (113 g)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
6 oz. heavy cream (178 ml)

Place chopped chocolate and espresso powder in a medium bowl.
Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until just to a boil.
Pour over chocolate and let sit, covered, for about 5 minutes.
Whisk cream and chocolate mixture until smooth. Cool until ganache is of spreadable consistency.

Recipe and photo: Kim Dijkman