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In the Oven: Milk Chocolate Malt Ball Cake

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We’re coming back to the classic Baked three-layer cake. This one is a Whopper in cake form. Posting date is May 5!

Milk Chocolate Malt Ball Cake
 
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Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
For the malt cake layers
  • 2 1⁄4 cups cake flour
  • 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup malted milk powder
  • 1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1⁄2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups ice cold water
  • 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
For the milk chocolate frosting
  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 1⁄2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softbut cool, cut into 1-inch pieces
To assemble the cake
  • Malted milk balls for decoration
Instructions
Make the malt cake layers
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
  2. Sift the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together into a large bowl. Whisk in the malted milk powder. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the ice water, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
  5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.
Make the milk chocolate frosting
  1. Place both chocolates in the bowl of an electric mixer. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil, then remove from the heat and immediately pour the mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes. Starting in the center of the bowl and working your way out to the edges, whisk the chocolate mixture until completely smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. With the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, on medium speed gradually add the butter pieces and mix until thoroughly incorporated. The frosting should be completely smooth and have a silky look.
Assemble the cake
  1. Refrigerate the frosting for a few minutes (but no more), until it can hold its shape. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread about 1 1⁄4 cups of the frosting on top. Top with the next layer, trim and frost the top, then add the third layer and trim. Crumb coat the cake and put the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Garnish the cake with the malted milk balls and refrigerate again for 15 minutes.
Notes
How to store: This cake will keep beautifully in a cake saver at room temperature (cool and humidity free) for up to 3 days. If your room is not cool, place the cake in a cake saver and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

In the Oven: Brewer’s Blondies

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Next up on the schedule: Brewer’s Blondies. Posting date is August 26!

Brewer's Blondies
 
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Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients
  • 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons malted milk powder
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1¾ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup malted milk balls (like Whoppers or Maltesers), coarsely chopped in a food processor
  • ¾ cup (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • Vanilla ice cream, to serve
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13- inch baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and malted milk powder together.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until completely combined. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.
  4. Add the flour mixture in two batches and beat until just combined. Add the malted milk balls, chocolate chips, and walnuts and beat until just combined, about 10 seconds. The mixture will be thick. Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly.
  5. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the blondie comes out clean.
  6. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. These blondies taste delicious warm. Cut them into squares and serve with ice cream. They also taste great at room temperature. Once thoroughly cooled, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

In the Oven: Milk Chocolate Malted Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

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For Halloween, our bakers have a chance to show off their decorating skills with some milk chocolate malted brownies with chocolate ganache. Posting date is October 23.

In the Oven: Milk Chocolate Malted Brownies with Chocolate Ganache
 
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Yield: 36 to 48 mini brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies
  • 1¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (70 g) malted milk powder
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 ounces (170 g) milk chocolate (40 to 60% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 4 ounces (115 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 6 ounces (1½ sticks/170 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes, plus more for the pan
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache
  • 6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
For the Royal Icing
  • 3 to 4 cups (340 to 450 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Blue, yellow, red, and black food dyes or gels (optional)
Instructions
Make the Brownies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper so that it overhangs about 1 inch (2.5 cm) on the long sides of the pan, and butter the parchment.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa, and salt.
  3. Place both chocolates and the butter in a large heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water (double-boiler method, see page 19), stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted, smooth, and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add both sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature.
  4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining 2 eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and whisk until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
  5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, place the pan on a cooling rack, and let the brownies cool completely.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat and heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth. Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the cooled brownies in the pan and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Allow the ganache to sit for about 10 minutes, then refrigerate for another 15 minutes to set completely.
  2. Using a small paring knife, release the brownies from the sides of the pan and pull straight up on the parchment to remove them from the pan, then place the brownies onto a cutting board and remove the parchment. Place the brownies in the freezer for 30 minutes (this will make them easier to cut). Run a chef’s knife under hot water, wipe dry, and cut the brownies into 36 to 48 bite-size pieces (or smaller—these brownies are rich).
Make the Royal Icing
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups (340 g) confectioners’ sugar, the egg whites, and lemon juice until the mixture is completely smooth. The mixture should have the texture of a thick glaze. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, until it is thick enough to hold its shape when piped. Divide the icing into four bowls. Royal icing will begin to harden when exposed to air. If you are not using a particular color, make sure to cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or place the icing in a pastry bag and cover the tip.
  2. Leave one bowl white for skulls and ghosts. In another bowl, create a black icing (about 8 drops of black gel or 2 drops each of blue, yellow, and red dye) for outlines and eyes. In the other two bowls, we recommend mixing orange for pumpkins and green for embellishments (green eyes are spooky). Put each color in its own pastry bag fitted with the smallest tip. (Pastry bags provide more control, but, if needed, you can fill four zip-tight plastic bags and cut a small corner from the bottom of each.) In essence, you want to pipe and fill all of your base layers first, then go back and add your final embellishments. (It is more difficult to decorate each brownie from start to finish.)
  3. For skulls and ghosts: Pipe on the shapes of skulls or ghosts in white and allow them to harden for a few minutes (see photo 1). Then fill them in completely (see photo 2). Gently pipe final embellishments (eyes, mouths, etc.) directly on top of the white icing with any other color you like (see photos 3 and 4).
  4. For pumpkins: Pipe on the shape of the pumpkins (not the stem) in orange and allow to harden for a few minutes (see photo 1), then fill them in completely. Gently pipe on the stem in green.
  5. Allow the icing to harden completely before serving.
Notes
How to store: The brownies will keep, tightly covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

 

 

In the Oven: Vanilla Bean Malt Cake

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For our August 10 posting date: a simple little Bundt cake. Happy baking!

Vanilla Bean Malt Cake
Yield: One 6-cup Bundt cake

For the Vanilla Bean Malt Cake
1 teaspoon good-quality bourbon
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon malted milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
7 ounces (13⁄4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
1⁄4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
1⁄2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For the Vanilla Glaze
2⁄3 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons whole milk, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Make the vanilla Bean Malt cake
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously coat the inside of a 6-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively, butter it thoroughly, dust it with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

Place the bourbon in a small bowl. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the tip of a knife or a small spoon, scrape the seeds into the bourbon. Discard the vanilla bean pod or save it for another use. Stir the mixture to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, malted milk powder, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again for 15 seconds. Add the bourbon mixture and beat until well blended, about 20 seconds.

Turn the mixer to low, add about half of the flour mixture, then stream in the butter- milk. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 45 minutes. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack to cool completely.

Make the vanilla glaze
Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. The glaze should be loose enough to drizzle. (If it is too thick, add a little more milk; if it is too loose add a little more confectioners’ sugar.)

Drizzle the glaze over the cake in a zigzag pattern. Allow the glaze to set for 15 minutes prior to serving.
The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered with a cake dome or in a cake saver, for up to 3 days.

Excerpted from Baked Elements: Our 10 Favorite Ingredients by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Copyright © 2012 by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Excerpted by permission of Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an imprint of Abrams. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.