This decadent chocolate cake is one of the best things you will ever put in your mouth. It the cake is moist and so good, then the Rye Whisky mousse filling is so rich and delicious. Then the chocolate layer on top just seels the deal! You have to give it a try!
What Arturo gives up for Lent every year!
Easter is just right around the corner…like in two days!! How can that be?! It feels like just yesterday we were scrambling to get to Ash Wednesday Mass! For the last few years, Arturo has given up sweets for lent like won’t even eat a pancake because he considers them something sweet! Now, I commend him for this, as he has the biggest sweet tooth, he is the one that usually always has something sweet after dinner and on a Sunday, you can usually find him baking a treat! So, 45 days without that treat can be tough for him! However, on Easter Sunday he rewards himself with something good and he usually eats the majority of it on his own! In the years past it has been a lemon meringue pie or key lime pie, however this year he is making this decadent chocolate cake! Which is a win for me too, in that I am not a fan of lemon or lime things, so I will get to help him out with this chocolate cake! I can’t wait!
For Easter lunch, our table usually consists of a nice piece of lamb, mushroom risotto and asparagus. Then, of course, we round it out with dessert!
We hope that you and your family have a wonderful Easter Sunday surrounded by family and good food!
Moist Chocolate Cake
(This cake recipe came from our good friend Jill Carr over at Our Beef Kitchen)
2 cups of sugar
2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ cup cocoa
2 unbeaten eggs
2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 cup hot water
1 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt
Combine all ingredients and beat for 2 minutes. Batter will be thin.
Transfer to a “Maryann” cake pan and bake for a 1 hour and ½ at 350 degrees.
(Alternately divide the cake batter between two 9-inch cake pans and back for 20 minutes.)
Rye Whiskey Mousse Filling
1 cup half-and-half
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. salted butter
1 ½ Tbsp. Rye Whiskey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup heavy cream
Place half-and-half in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
While the half and half is coming up to a simmer whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in a medium bowl until smooth.
Gradually add the hot half-and-half to egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Return mixture to pan. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until thick and bubbly, 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Whisk in 1 tablespoons butter, rye whiskey, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour mixture into a medium bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap, refrigerate until completely cold, about two hours.
Beat ½ cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into custard in 2 batches. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Chocolate Layer
1 cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 lb. 60% to 64%bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Prepare chocolate layer by combining 1 cup heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Do not let boil. Place bittersweet chocolate in a medium bowl; pour hot cream mixture over chocolate.
Gently stir until all of the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Chill until mixture thickens to spreading consistency, 30 to 40 minutes stirring every few minutes.
To assemble the cake spread a ¼ of the chocolate layer on the center of the cake, then spread the custard layer in the center and top with the remainder of the chocolate layer. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let layers set. Cut and serve. (Alternately, if the cake is baked in traditional cake pans assemble like a traditional layer cake. Cut each cake in half yielding 4 layers. Spread the mousse between the layers and ice with the chocolate mixture. Note if you assemble like a layer cake make a double batch of the mousse and icing.)
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