Chocolate cake “Mocha-Orange”
Description
Perfect with tea and coffee. The sponge cake turns out wonderfully in a multicooker, but it can also be baked in the oven at 180 °C. Don't over‑dry it! And be sure to let the sponge cake mature. Don't cut it for at least 4–5 hours, otherwise you'll crush it and crumble it. Moreover, the flavor of a matured sponge cake is richer and brighter. Serve warm or chilled. Perfect with tea.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Start the preparation with the sponge cake. Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Beat the yolks with about 100 g of sugar until pale, then, adding warm water in portions, beat until a fluffy foamy mass forms.
- 2
Step 2
Add orange zest, at least half an orange. I grated it from a whole one.
- 3
Step 3
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, and gradually add the fine sugar, whisking until fully combined.
- 4
Step 4
Add the twice‑sifted mixture of flour with cocoa, salt, and leavening agent to the yolk mixture. Gently stir with a spatula.
- 5
Step 5
Add the beaten egg whites in portions, folding them with a spatula using a top‑to‑bottom and circular folding method. Work gently, preserving the volume of the mixture.
- 6
Step 6
Carefully pour the batter into the multicooker bowl, first placing a circle of parchment paper on the bottom. Do not grease anything!
- 7
Step 7
Bake for 45 minutes, selecting the “Bake” program. After the signal, open the lid and check doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out dry, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the steam vent. Let it stand for about 10 minutes. Then extract the sponge cake, carefully trimming the edges with a silicone spatula, using the steamer insert. Cool on a rack, wrap in plastic film and place in the refrigerator for maturation. Preferably overnight.
- 8
Step 8
For the mascarpone cream, take the mascarpone out of the fridge in advance – it should be at room temperature. Add powdered sugar to the cheese and instant coffee dissolved in two tablespoons of warm water. Beat well with a mixer and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
- 9
Step 9
Cut the cake layer into three parts using dental floss—it crumbles the sponge the least. For the soaking, squeeze the juice of a large orange and add orange liqueur. Soak the layers with a brush.
- 10
Step 10
Spread the layers with cream and stack them on top of each other. Spread the edges with the remaining cream.
- 11
Step 11
Spread the top layer with orange jam, preferably smooth and without pieces. If you have jam with pieces, strain it through a sieve or blend it. Place the cake in the freezer for about 15–20 minutes.
- 12
Step 12
During this time, prepare a chocolate ganache. Heat the cream without bringing it to a boil and pour it over the finely chopped chocolate. Stir well until the chocolate melts. Let it cool slightly and drizzle it over the top of the cake. While the ganache hasn't set, decorate the cake according to your skill and desire.
- 13
Step 13
Let the cake rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or preferably longer) and serve it at the table.