Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cake Layers
- 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (65–75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot coffee or hot water
Milk Chocolate Cream Filling
- 10 oz (285 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, for the chocolate ganache
- 8 oz (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy whipping cream, for whipping
Chocolate Frosting
- 1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4½ cups (540 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (65–75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, plus more only if needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Exterior and Topping
- 35–45 chocolate-covered wafer fingers or slim chocolate wafer bars
- 5–6 cups chocolate-covered malt balls
- Reserved chocolate frosting, as needed to secure the malt balls
Instructions
- Prepare the pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch square cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and free from large cocoa lumps.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Beat softened butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes, until lighter and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
- Finish the batter. On low speed, alternate additions of the dry mixture with the milk and sour cream. Mix only until combined. Slowly add the hot coffee or hot water. Scrape the bowl and mix briefly until uniform. Do not overmix.
- Divide and bake. Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Bake for 24–30 minutes. Begin checking at 24 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no liquid batter.
- Cool completely. Leave the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes. Turn them onto cooling racks and remove the parchment. Cool completely before filling.
- Prepare the chocolate base for the filling. Put the finely chopped milk chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Heat 1 cup heavy cream until steaming but not vigorously boiling. Pour it over the chocolate. Leave untouched for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
- Finish the filling. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture. In a separate cold bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold it into the chocolate mixture. If the filling does not hold its shape, refrigerate for 15–20 minutes before assembling.
- Make the frosting. Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder on low speed. Add vanilla, salt, and most of the cream. Beat until smooth. Add additional cream only as necessary. The frosting should be thick enough to hold a piped border.
- Build the cake. Secure the first cake layer to a cake board with a small dab of frosting. Pipe a thick frosting dam around the edge. Spread half the milk-chocolate filling inside it. Add the second cake layer and repeat. Finish with the third layer.
- Chill the stacked cake. Refrigerate for 30–45 minutes to firm the filling and reduce movement.
- Crumb coat. Cover the cake with a thin layer of chocolate frosting. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Apply the final frosting. Cover the top and four sides with the remaining frosting. Smooth the surface while keeping enough frosting on the sides to attach the wafer fingers.
- Add the chocolate fingers. Press the wafer fingers vertically around the sides. Leave a deliberate 3–4-inch-wide opening at the center front.
- Decorate the top. Cover the top generously with chocolate-covered malt balls, placing more near the front opening.
- Build the cascade. Arrange malt balls on the cake board beneath the opening. Work upward toward the top. Secure selected balls with small dots of chocolate frosting. Do not simply pour the candies over the cake.
- Final chill. Refrigerate the finished cake for about 1 hour before slicing.
- Serve. Use a long, sharp knife. For cleaner slices, warm the blade in hot water and wipe it completely dry before cutting. Clean the knife between slices.
Notes
- The cake layers must be completely cool before assembly.
- The milk-chocolate mixture must cool before it is added to the cream-cheese mixture.
- Use cold heavy cream for the portion that will be whipped.
- If the filling seems loose, chill it for 15–20 minutes before stacking.
- Do not skip the frosting dam. It helps keep the soft filling between the layers.
- The malt-ball cascade is decoratively constructed, not poured from a hollow cake.
- Build the cascade from the bottom upward and use frosting as edible adhesive.
- Buy a few extra wafer fingers because breakage is possible.
- Exact quantities of wafer fingers and malt balls depend on their size and brand.
- Because the filling contains cream cheese and whipped cream, keep the cake refrigerated. The FDA advises keeping refrigerated foods at 40°F (4°C) or below and generally not leaving perishables at room temperature for more than two hours.
- For best texture, let an individual refrigerated slice soften briefly before eating rather than leaving the whole cake out for a long period.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Chill/Cooling Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 24–30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-inspired