Chocolate Mascarpone Layer Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH MASCARPONE AND PRALINE

Steps:

• Make praline:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a baking pan toast nuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until almonds are lightly colored and hazelnut skins are blistered. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove any loose hazelnut skins (do not worry about skins that do not come off) and cool completely.
• Line a baking sheet with foil. In a small heavy saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals that cling to side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until it begins to turn golden. Swirl pan until syrup is deep golden and remove from heat. Stir in nuts and pour praline onto baking sheet, spreading evenly. Cool praline completely and break into pieces. Transfer praline to a sealable plastic bag and with a rolling pin coarsely crush.
• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan (at least 2 inches deep) and line bottom with wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.
• Finely chop chocolate. In a small saucepan combine cocoa powder, butter, oil, and water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring until smooth, and remove pan from heat. Add chocolate and sugar, whisking until smooth, and transfer to a bowl. Cool chocolate mixture completely and whisk in egg. Sift flour and baking powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Whisk in buttermilk and pour batter into cake pan, spreading evenly. Bake cake in middle of oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of pan and invert cake onto rack. Discard paper. Cool cake completely and transfer to a plate. In a bowl stir together mascarpone and sugar. Spread mixture over top of cake and generously sprinkle with praline.

GLAZED CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Coat two 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch jelly-roll baking pans with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a bowl, whisk together flour and teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar on medium-high, 2 minutes; increase speed to high and beat until pale and thick, 5 minutes. Sift flour mixture over egg mixture; with a large rubber spatula, fold together until almost blended. Pour butter down side of bowl, folding to combine. Divide batter between pans; smooth with a table knife. Immediately transfer pans to oven and bake until cakes are golden brown and springy when pressed, 6 to 7 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Let cool completely.
• Make filling: In a large bowl, stir together egg yolks, mascarpone, sugar, cocoa, orange zest (if using), and pinch of salt. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch of salt until soft peaks form. With a large rubber spatula, fold one-third whites into mascarpone mixture; fold in remainder.
• Invert cakes onto a work surface and gently peel off parchment. Using a serrated knife, trim cakes to measure 10 by 15 inches, then cut each crosswise into thirds. Place 1 cake layer, golden side up, on a platter; brush with brandy and spread with 1 cup filling. Repeat with remaining cake, brandy, and filling, ending with a layer of brandy-brushed cake. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Make Chocolate Glaze. Pour over top of cake and spread so it drips down sides (or spread along sides). Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

NO-COOK CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 4 cup loaf pan with clingfilm.
• Break and crumble the cookies.
• Mix with the orangeliqeur and let it soak.
• Melt the chocolate au bain marie (in a pan above a pan with simmering water).
• Let the chocolate slightly cool.
• Mix the chocolate with the mascarpone and the soaked cookies.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Let it stiffen in the refridgerator for at least 2 hours.
• Slice (with a wet knife) and serve with lemonsauce or whipped cream or just eat it as it is.

COFFEE-CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH MOCHA-MASCARPONE FROSTING

Steps:

• For cake: Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides; dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper.
• Sift 2 cups cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Gradually add hot espresso-water mixture, beating just until smooth.
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run small knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; lift pans off cakes and remove parchment. Place wire rack atop each cake; invert again so top side is up. Cool completely.
• For frosting: Sift cocoa powder into large bowl; add espresso powder. Bring 1 cup cream to boil in small saucepan. Slowly pour cream over cocoa mixture, whisking until cocoa is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup cream and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Add mascarpone to chilled cocoa mixture. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until blended and smooth. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is thick and medium-firm peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).
• Using pastry brush, brush off crumbs from cakes. Place 1 cake layer, top side up, on platter. Spoon 1 3/4 cups frosting in dollops over top of cake. Using offset spatula, spread frosting to edges. Top with second cake layer, top side up, pressing to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill 10 minutes. Using offset spatula, spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. Top with chocolate curls, if desired.

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a springform pan with butter.
• Place dark chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in coffee and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk egg yolks into the chocolate.
• Whisk egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in a separate bowl until peaks are the consistency of firm snow. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the pan and smooth the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm, about 20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.
• Prepare the second layer while the first layer is cooling. Mix water and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Melt dark chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk cream, mascarpone cheese, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Add cocoa powder mixture and melted chocolate. Pour over the first layer. Refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the top layer. Melt white chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Dissolve gelatin powder in water; let stand for 5 minutes. Heat in a double boiler until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix into the melted chocolate.
• Whisk cream until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese and mix until smooth. Fold in the chocolate-gelatin mixture. Pour over the second layer. Refrigerate cake until firm, at least 3 hours.