Chocolate Malt Nest Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE MALT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan.) Spray 13x9-pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, stir together cake mix and 3/4 cup malted milk powder. Beat in water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake 38 to 43 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In medium bowl, beat cream, 3/4 cup malted milk powder and the vanilla on low speed until blended, then on high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread over cake. Place malted milk balls in small resealable freezer plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet. Just before serving, top with chopped malted milk balls. Store covered in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE MALTED CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE: preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut two parchment paper circles to fit in the bottom of two 9 inch cake pans and lightly butter or spray the parchment paper and the pan sides.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, malted milk powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Place the eggs in another large bowl and beat well. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla to the eggs and stir until combined.
• Slowly add the boiling water and mix well.
• Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until smooth.
• Pour half of the batter into each of the prepared pans and bake for 40 minutes or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the center.
• Remove the cakes from the pans, remove the parchment paper and place on wire reacks to cool.
• FROSTING:.
• Place the chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high heat for 1 minute, then stir. If the chocolate is not all melted, place it back in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each time, until it is comletely melted. Be careful not to let the chocolate start to bubble or it will burn and get gritty.
• Place the butter and egg in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the confectioner sugar, malted milk powder and melted chocolate and mix for 1 minute or until even in color. Add the vanilla, milk and salt and mix for 2 minutes or until fluffy.
• To Assemble Cake:.
• Place 1 of the cooled cakes upside down on a serving platter and cover the top and sides with half of the frosting. Place the remaining frosting on the top and sides, blending the upper and lower portions of the sides as you go. Arrange the malted milk balls around the outside edge of the cake.
• AND YOUR DONE, TIME TO EAT!

CHOCOLATE PASTEL EASTER CAKE WITH A CHOCOLATE VERMICELLI NEST

Steps:

• Make the nest: Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Line an 8-inch diameter bowl with plastic wrap leaving some overhang. Line another medium bowl with paper towels. Separate the vermicelli bundles lengthwise into 1-inch-wide sections. (It's okay if some noodles break off, you may still use them.) Drop one bunch into the oil; the noodles will immediately puff and the oil will bubble vigorously. Cook for 10 to 15 seconds, until the oil stops bubbling and the vermicelli are crisp. Using a spider or mesh strainer, transfer the noodles to the paper towel-lined bowl and immediately sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. When the temperature returns to 375 drop another bunch in. Repeat the frying process until all of the vermicelli, including any loose or broken pieces are cooked. Set the fried vermicelli aside.
• Heat the chocolate in a small microwavable bowl in the microwave until melted, about 2 minutes, pausing every 30 seconds to stir with a rubber spatula. Remove the paper towels from the bowl of vermicelli and discard. Scrape the melted chocolate into the bowl of vermicelli. Wearing latex gloves, use your hands to toss the vermicelli with the chocolate until the noodles are completely coated and sticky. Gently press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the plastic lined bowl leaving the edges uneven and ragged to resemble a bird's nest. Chill the nest in the bowl until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Make the cake. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and slowly add the sugar, beating until the mixture is light and smooth, about 4 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat on medium, 1 minute more. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Combine the milk with 1 1/4 cups water in a small saucepan, bring just to a boil and remove from the heat.
• With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, until it is incorporated. Turn off the mixer, then carefully pour the hot liquid into the batter and combine by hand with a whisk until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Lightly tap each pan on the counter to settle the batter.
• Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans and the centers spring back when touched lightly, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife or small spatula around the edges of the pan, turn out the cake layers and place on the rack to cool completely.
• Make the buttercream: Beat the butter, confectioners¿ sugar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium-high, beating until fluffy and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 2 tablespoons milk and the food coloring, if using, to make a pastel shade. Continue beating until light and spreadable, 2 minutes. If the frosting seems too stiff, add the remaining tablespoon of milk.
• To assemble: Place 1 cake layer right-side up on a cake stand or flat plate and top with 1 cup of frosting. Using a large offset spatula, spread the icing evenly over the layer to the edges. Place the other layer, on top. Evenly spread half of the remaining frosting over the top, leaving a small off-center mound to place the nest on. Spread the remaining frosting around the sides of the cake in a swirly pattern. Lift the chocolate nest from the bowl by the plastic-wrap overhang. Peel off the plastic and discard. Place the nest on the top of the cake on the mound of frosting and fill with candy coated eggs.

CHOCOLATE MALT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Put a piece of parchment or a Silpat on the counter. Invert the cake onto it and peel off the parchment or Silpat from the bottom of the cake. Use the cake ring to stamp out 2 circles from the cake. These are your top 2 cake layers. The remaining cake "scrap" will come together to make the bottom layer of the cake.
• Clean the cake ring and place it in the center of a sheet pan lined with clean parchment or a Silpat. Use 1 strip of acetate to line the inside of the cake ring.
• Put the cake scraps inside the ring and use the back of your hand to tamp the scraps together into a flat even layer.
• Dunk a pastry brush in the Ovaltine soak and give the layer of cake a good, healthy bath of half of the soak.
• Use the back of a spoon to spread one-fifth of the malt fudge sauce in an even layer over the cake. (Helpful hint: the warmer the fudge sauce, the easier it is to spread.)
• Sprinkle half of the malted milk crumbs and one-third of the charred marshmallows evenly over the malt fudge sauce. Use the back of your hand to anchor them in place.
• Use the back of a spoon to spread another fifth of the malt fudge sauce as evenly as possible over the crumbs and marshmallows.
• With your index finger, gently tuck the second strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip of acetate, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5 to 6 inches tall-high enough to support the height of the finished cake. Set a cake round on top of the sauce and repeat the process for layer 1 (if 1 of your 2 cake rounds is jankier than the other, use it here in the middle and save the prettier one for the top).
• Nestle the remaining cake round into the sauce. Cover the top of the cake with the remaining fudge sauce. Since it's a sauce, not a frosting, here you have no choice but to make a shiny, perfectly flat top. Garnish with the remaining charred marshmallows.
• Transfer the sheet pan to the freezer and freeze for a minimum of 12 hours to set the cake and filling. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
• At least 3 hours before you are ready to serve the cake, pull the sheet pan out of the freezer and, using your fingers and thumbs, pop the cake out of the cake ring. Gently peel off the acetate and transfer the cake to a platter or cake stand. Let it defrost in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. If storing the cake for longer, do not cover with plastic wrap-it will tear the malt fudge off the cake! Instead, get a big bowl, flip it upside down, and use it to protect the cake (or invest in a cake carrier). Stored in this way, the cake will keep fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
• Slice the cake into wedges and serve.