Mocha Layer Cake with Chocolate-Rum Cream Filling

This opulent treat is modeled after the traditional Rigó Jancsi cake, which bears the name of the renowned Gypsy violinist from Hungary. Prepare it a day in advance to let the flavors combine.

Components

Yields sixteen servings.

Layering and Dridding

1. Four cups of heavy cream
2. Half a stick, or 1/4 cup, unsalted butter
3. one-fourth cup sugar
4. 20 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped finely,
5. plus 2 ounces of additional chopped chocolate
6. one-third cup of dark rum
7. two tsp of essence from vanilla
8. Sugar
9. one-fourth cup water
10. two tsp sugar
11. Two teaspoons of dark rum

Cake

1. 1 half a teaspoon of essence from vanilla
2. one and a half teaspoons of instant coffee powder
3. 1/3 cup of cake flour
4. Three teaspoons of cocoa powder without sweetness
5. One-half tsp baking soda
6. Three sizable eggs, divided
7. one and a half cups sugar
8. One-fourth teaspoon of cream of tartar
9. 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

 For the filling and topping

• In a heavy, big saucepan, stir together first 3 ingredients over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and cream begins to simmer.
• Take off the heat. Whisk in 20 ounces of chocolate until it melts and becomes smooth. Stir in vanilla and rum.
• Spoon out one cup of the heated chocolate mixture into a small dish; mix in the two ounces of chocolate that remain for the topping.
• After covering, leave it at room temperature.
• To use as filling, transfer the leftover chocolate mixture to a big bowl. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 1 day, or until cool and thick.

 For syrup

• In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves.
• Take off the heat and stir in rum. Shut off and allow to stand up to 1 day

 For cake

• Turn the oven on to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 9 by 2 inch metal baking pan.
• Use butter or waxed paper to line the bottom. In a cup, mix coffee powder and vanilla; stir to dissolve the coffee.
• Into a small basin, sift flour, baking soda, and cocoa. Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium basin with an electric mixer until the mixture is extremely thick and pale, about 3 minutes.
• Beat in coffee-vanilla mixture. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a large basin with clean, dry beaters until soft peaks form.
• Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar gradually and beat until stiff but not dry. Stir 1/3 of the whites into the yolk mixture. Add half the flour mixture and fold.
• Add half of the leftover whites, followed by the remaining flour mixture, and finally the remaining whites.
• Spread the prepared 9×2 batter evenly with a gentle touch.
• Bake for about 18 minutes, or until cake is puffy and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on rack; some shrinkage may occur.
•  To loosen the cake, cut around the pan. Transfer onto a surface and remove the paper. Cake should be cut in half horizontally using a long, serrated knife. Arrange one half on a dish, cut side up.
• Pour over half of the syrup, or roughly 3 1/2 tbsp. Beat cold chocolate filling with electric mixer for less than a minute, or until it becomes thicker and lighter in color. Align the sides of the cake and equally distribute the entire contents over the cake layer.
• The filling will be about an inch deep. Pour the leftover syrup onto the sliced side of the second layer of cake. Put the layer in place, Place syrup side down over filling and press to seal.
• Reheat topping just long enough to pour over low heat. Spoon the topping into the cake’s middle. Spread topping to rims with a tiny spatula, taking care not to let it overflow. Cake can be refrigerated for up to a day; after two hours, cover loosely with foil or a cake dome.