Cherry Delight Cake
by Michaelle Stidham, MI
Layout & Editing by Diane Shavkin


 
 

 
 
Chocolate Chiffon Cake Recipe
7 egg whites 1 c water 1/4 c cocoa powder
1 tsp cream of tarter 1 tsp vanilla 3/4 c sugar
1/2 c sugar 1 tsp almond flavor 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c vegetable oil 1 1/4 c cake flour* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
7 egg yolks

*If you don't have cake flour, make your own.  One cup sifted cake flour equals 3/4 cup sifted, bleached, all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted together. 

Preheat oven to 375 deg F and locate one, 9-inch round cake pan and one 11x15" or 9 x 13" sheet pan.  Separate eggs and place whites in a stainless or copper mixing bowl.  Using mixer whip attachment, beat whites with cream of tartar on medium speed about 5-10 minutes.  After whites become very foamy, add sugar, gradually, until a soft, moist peak forms.

While egg whites are whipping, measure liquid ingredients into a separate bowl.  Mix until smooth and set aside.

Sift measured dry ingredients together into a separate bowl.  Add liquid to the dry ingredients and whisk only until smooth.  DO NOT overmix!

Fold 1/3 of meringue into cake batter.  Continue to fold in remainder of meringue. 
 

Line bottom only of sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper.  Pour into ungreased** cake pans, filling cake pan 1/4 inch from top.  Bake at 375 deg F until done (about 30-40 minutes).  Cake will spring back when pressed in center.  Cool inverted on parchment paper or cooling rack.  9 x 13 inch layer should be thin.

The cliffon cake layers can be made up to three months in advance.

**Cake pans can have a waxed paper or parchment bottom liner.  Sides must be ungreased.  Chiffon cake must cling to the sides while baking to ensure the lightness in texture.  Sheet pan must also be parchment lined.

 
 
Assembly Instructions
 After the cake layers are completely cold, loosen the sides of the cake with a knife.

Invert the cake pan and bang soundly to remove the cake.

Split the layer through the center making two thin layers.
Line a 9 inch springform pan with plastic wrap; then, line the pan with cake.  Place one round layer of cake on bottom.  Cut 9x13inch or 11x15 inch cake into 1 1/2 inch strips and line sides of the pan.
Fill the cake-lined pan with white chocolate mousse (recipe is at the end of the article) or any other filling that sets up when refrigerated or frozen.  (See end of article for options for other fillings).

Place a second layer of cake on top of the mousse.  Wrap with plastic arap and freeze overnight or up to three months.
Pour the ganache (recipe is at the end of the article) over the frozen or refrigerated cake.

Pick up the cake and coat the bottom sides with crushed hazelnuts.  Hold the cake over the large container of nuts in order for the excess nuts to fall into the container to avoid a could-be mess.  Place the cake on a cake plate.
Place cherry pie filling in the center of the cake.  Spread the filling with a metal spatula to make a "smooth" circle about 1/2 inch from the outside edge of the top of the cake.  Use buttercream to make the shell border.

 
 
White-Chocolate Mousse

10 oz white chocolate
1 Tbsp cocoa butter or clarified butter
1 pt heavy cream
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/4 c water
1/2 c creme de cacao
2 eggs, separated
Pinch cream of tartar
2 Tbsp sugar

Finely chop white chocolate and melt in double boiler with the cocoa butter until smooth.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Whip cream to medium peaks and set aside in refrigerator.  Combine gelatin, water 
and 1/4 cup creme de cacao.  Let stand 5 minutes or more.  Just before combining with chocolate, warm over hot-water bath until mixture thickens.  This looks frothy and opaque in color.  Whip egg whites with cream of tartar, gradually, adding sugar to make a common meringue.  Combine all components to become a mousse.  Always work from warm to cold when combining the components.

Add warm liquid gelatin to warm egg-yolk mixture using a whisk.  Quickly, stir the above into the melted white chocolate to prevent lumping.  Fold in meringue.  Fold in whipped-cream mixture until combined and smooth.  Use immediately to fill cakes, or allow to set for three hours before piping into dessert shells.  Freeze filled cake overnight.

 
 
Easy Vanilla Filling

1 box instant vanilla pudding(large box)
2 c heavy cream
1 c milk
Whip until light and thick.  Pour 
immediately into cake-lined springform 
pan.

 Ice Cream Cakes

Use your imagination. 

Soften any flavor
or combination of flavors to fill the 
chocolate layers and keep frozen even 
after coating with ganache.
Easy Chocolate Marshmallow Filling

1 12-oz carton whipped topping
1 3-oz box instant chocolate pudding
1 1/2 c mini marshmallows

Sprinkle pudding mix into whipped topping. 
Mix.

Stir in marshmallows.  Pour into cake-lined 
springform pan and freeze.  Add chopped 
nuts to make this into Rocky Road filling.

 Chocolate Ganache

16-oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 oz butter
1 c heavy cream
1/2 c milk

Place chocolate in a bowl.  Bring butter, cream
and milk to a boil and pour over the chocolate.
Let stand one minute and whisk until smooth.
Let stand and stir occasionally until lukewarm
and a very thick liquid texture to pour over cake
later.
.
 
 
This page has been created by Diane Shavkin of NY
Back to Diane's Home Page