Cocoa layer cake with Finetti and whipped cream

Name: Cocoa layer cake with Finetti and whipped cream
Ingredients: 16 eggs; 320 g sugar; 80 ml milk; 400 ml oil; 8 tablespoons honey; 8 tablespoons semolina; 8 tablespoons flour; 8 tablespoons dark cocoa; 2 packets baking powder; 4 packets vanilla sugar; 5 ml oil for the pan; 800 ml whipping cream; 400 g Finetti hazelnut spread; 1000 ml water; 3 tablespoons dark cocoa; 6 tablespoons sugar; 1 teaspoon rum essence; 1 teaspoon vanilla essence; 200 g dark chocolate; 200 ml liquid cream

Dessert - Cocoa layer cake with Finetti and whipped cream by Tania C. - Recipia

Cocoa layer cake with Finetti and whipped cream has four syrup-soaked layers and a soft chocolate glaze. I make sure to use plain dark cocoa, and the layers turn a deep color beneath the hazelnut cream; once soaked, the cake cuts into soft, distinct layers, with the glaze staying soft on top. Prep: 45 minutes. Cook: 90 minutes. Rest: 30 minutes. Total time: 165 minutes. Servings: 24. Approximately 610 kcal and 8 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the cake layers

16 eggs
320 g sugar
80 ml milk
400 ml oil
8 tablespoons honey
8 tablespoons semolina
8 tablespoons flour
8 tablespoons dark cocoa
2 packets baking powder
4 packets vanilla sugar
5 ml oil for the pan

For the cream

800 ml whipping cream
400 g Finetti hazelnut spread

For the syrup

1000 ml water
3 tablespoons dark cocoa
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon rum essence
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the glaze

200 g dark chocolate
200 ml liquid cream

Preparation

1. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar, honey and vanilla sugar until pale. 2. Mix the flour with the semolina, dark cocoa and baking powder. Fold the mixture into the yolks, then gradually pour in the milk and 400 ml oil, mixing until the batter is smooth. 3. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them in with a spoon, from the bottom up. The batter should stay airy. Divide it into four equal portions. 4. Line the 35 × 45 cm pan with baking paper and grease the paper with 5 ml oil. Bake each layer at 180°C for 20 minutes, using the same pan; the edges should be baked and slightly firm. Leave the layers to cool for 30 minutes. 5. For the syrup, put the water, dark cocoa, sugar, rum essence and vanilla essence in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes, then leave the syrup to cool. 6. Whip the cream, add the Finetti and beat until smooth. Divide the cream into four equal portions. 7. Soak the first layer with syrup and spread one portion of cream on top. Continue with the remaining layers, using one portion of cream between each layer; save the last portion for decorating. 8. Melt the dark chocolate with the liquid cream over low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Pour the glaze over the cake and decorate with the reserved cream.

Notes

Keep the cake covered in the fridge and eat it within 3 days; the layers can be baked a day ahead and kept wrapped once cool. Finetti can be replaced with 400 g hazelnut and cocoa spread; the cake contains gluten, eggs, dairy and hazelnuts. I serve it with black coffee, in thin slices, because the cake and cream are rich. The layers are a bit like thinly sliced cocoa loaf cake, but the syrup makes them softer than an ordinary loaf cake. The 35 × 45 cm pan keeps the layers thin; in a smaller pan, the middle takes longer to bake and may need extra time. Choose plain dark cocoa, not instant drinking chocolate powder, which is already sweetened and changes the flavor of the layers. The cream whips better if it stays cold until just before beating, while the Finetti folds in more easily when it has not been hardened by the fridge. The oven may brown the edges before the center, so keep an eye on the layers near the end of the baking time.