Well here is a winner for all you chocolate cake lovers out there. I had a bottle of malted milk that I wanted to use in the pantry and I decided to make this delicious chocolate malted cake.

To be honest, my mother-in-law was going to take it to the pancake supper at the local church but she decided to save it for my brother-in-law’s birthday instead. I would day that is the biggest compliment I could receive! She said it was to pretty and I think it tasted pretty good too.

I drizzled the top of the cake with chocolate syrup just for a little more chocolate- I mean you really can never have enough chocolate, right? This is by no means a low calorie cake- it is decadent and rich but so good- perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day and more.

Chocolate Malted Layer Cake Recipe

Ingredients

For the cake-

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butte, room temperature

1-3/4 cup flour

1 cup chocolate malted milk powder

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1-3/4 sugar

3 large eggs

1 TBSP vanilla extract

1-1/2 cup heavy cream

For the frosting-

1-1/2 cup milk

1 cup chocolate malted milk powder

1/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 TBSP cocoa powder

3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

1-1/3 cup sugar

 

Make the cake-

• Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 nine inch cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 8 minutes) Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Add in the eggs, one at a time until each is combined.
• Add the vanilla.
• Mix in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, malted milk, and cocoa powder.
• Add in the cream and mix until smooth- about 2 minutes.
• Evenly distribute in the the 2 pans. Bang the pans on the counter to get out the air bubbles.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
• Cool for about 10 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack. Cool completely before assembling.

Make the icing-

• In a medium pot, whisk the milk, malted milk, cocoa powder, flour and salt until combined. Bring to a boil while stirring- it should become a pudding consistency (about 2 minutes after it boils)
• Transfer to bowl and press with plastic wrap so no pudding skin forms (my husband’s word) an refrigerate for about an hour.

Finish the icing-

• In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 8 minutes) Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Add the pudding mixture in 3 portions mixing well after each addition (2-3 minutes) until all is combined and creamy. Continue to beat the mixture until the icing comes together about 5 minutes.

Assemble the cake-

• Place one cake onto cake stand and spread with a layer of icing.
• Top with second cake and cover the top and the sides of the cake with icing, be sure to cover it all.
• Place the remainder of icing in a piping bag and add dollops around the edge of the entire top of the cake for decoration. Drizzle with chocolate syrup if desired.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set – overnight is better.

**I adapted this recipe from  a recipe I saw in the Food Network Magazine**

Ok so this is not a cake you want to make every day- I get it- it takes some time but the results are so delicious. I do have a few other cake recipes that you might like to try as well here and here. It has just the right chocolate flavor and it is perfect for those special occasions. Birthdays, showers, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, pot luck … just don’t bring to a pancake breakfast! (wink, wink!)