Mocha Layer Cake With Chocolate-rum Cream Filling

Total Time: 6 hrs 18 mins Preparation Time: 6 hrs Cook Time: 18 mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 22 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped,divided use
• 1/3 cup dark rum
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon instant coffee powder
• 2/3 cup cake flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 for filling and topping: stir first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and cream comes to simmer.
• 2 remove from heat.
• 3 add 20 ounces chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth.
• 4 whisk in rum and vanilla.
• 5 transfer 1 cup warm chocolate mixture to small bowl; whisk remaining 2 ounces chocolate into mixture in bowl and set aside for topping.
• 6 cover; let stand at room temperature.
• 7 transfer remaining chocolate mixture to large bowl to use as filling; chill until cold and thick, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• 8 for syrup: stir water and sugar in small saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves.
• 9 remove from heat; mix in rum.
• 10 cover and let stand up to 1 day.
• 11 for cake: preheat oven to 350°f.
• 12 butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan.
• 13 line bottom with waxed paper; butter paper.
• 14 combine vanilla and coffee powder in cup; swirl to dissolve coffee.
• 15 sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda into small bowl.
• 16 using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in medium bowl until very thick and light in color, about 3 minutes.
• 17 beat in vanilla-coffee mixture.
• 18 using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form.
• 19 gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry.
• 20 fold 1/3 of whites into yolk mixture.
• 21 fold in half of flour mixture.
• 22 fold in half of remaining whites, then remaining flour mixture, then remaining whites.
• 23 transfer batter to prepared pan; gently spread to even thickness.
• 24 bake cake until puffed and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes.
• 25 cool in pan on rack (cake may shrink slightly).
• 26 cut around pan to loosen cake.
• 27 turn out onto work surface; peel off paper.
• 28 using long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half.
• 29 place 1 half, cut side up, on platter.
• 30 drizzle half of syrup (about 3 1/2 tablespoons) over cake.
• 31 using electric mixer, beat cold chocolate filling until thick and lighter in color, less than 1 minute.
• 32 spread all of filling evenly over cake layer, aligning with sides of cake (filling will be about 1 inch thick).
• 33 drizzle remaining syrup over cut side of second cake layer.
• 34 place second layer, syrup side down, atop filling; press to adhere.
• 35 rewarm topping over low heat just until pourable.
• 36 pour topping onto top center of cake.
• 37 using small spatula, spread topping to edges, being careful to keep it from spilling over.
• 38 chill cake up to 1 day, covering loosely with foil or with cake dome after 2 hours of chilling.
• 39 cut cake into 16 squares and serve.