MILK CHOCOLATE MALT BALL CAKE

MILK CHOCOLATE MALT BALL CAKE image

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

Cake
2 ¼ cups cake flour
¾ cup all purpose flour
1 cup malted milk powder
1 T. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 stick butter (8T.), at room temperature
½ cup solid vegetable shortening (Crisco), at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
2 cups ice water
4 egg whites, at room temperature
Frosting and Garnish
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
10 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 ¾ cups heavy cream
3T. light corn syrup
4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch chunks and softened
Malted milk balls for garnish

Steps:

Cake 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Butter and flour three 8-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the flours with malt powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. 2. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter with shortening until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 batches at low speed, alternating with ice water, occasionally scraping down the side of the bowl. 3. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into the batter. Divide batter between pans, spreading evenly, and bake the cakes for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a rack and let cool completely. Peel off parchment. Frosting 1. Place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil, then remove from heat. Add corn syrup; immediately pour mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chocolate has melted, then whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature. 2. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk. Gradually beat in butter at medium speed, a few chunks at a time, and beat until thoroughly incorporated between additions. The frosting should be smooth and silky. Refrigerate frosting just until it is thick enough to hold its shape, 10 to 15 minutes. 3. Place one cake layer on a serving platter and spread 1 1/4 cups of frosting over the top in an even layer. Repeat to form 2 more layers. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the side of the cake and refrigerate briefly until firm. Frost sides with remaining frosting. Garnish cake with malted-milk balls and refrigerate briefly to firm up the frosting before serving.