Black and White Russian Cake

I want to share this amazing recipe that I came across a few months back. Yes, it was that long ago as I wasn't sure if I could bake this cake!
I always looked, stared and reread several recipes of the same cake before finally deciding which one was the easiest to execute.
That said, it was another few weeks before I bought the ingredients and actually got down to baking it.
Easier said then done, my first attempt didn't quite turn out as I wanted, believe me it wasn't the recipe or instructions it was just me. I tried again and again and it was at my fourth experiment did I succeed!
Thanks so much to kak ita! 

The recipe was for a square cake, but I preferred a round one.
The recipe is divided into 3 parts, you'll understand why I took so long to bake this.

Black and White Russian Cake.
source: Azlita from masam manis


The Moist Chocolate Cake

A
300 g all purpose flour (I used tepung gandum blue key)
100 g cocoa powder (any brand will do)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

B
3 eggs
400 g castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla

C
250 ml (1 cup) milk (I used low fat Marigold)
250 ml (1 cup) oil (I used Daisy Corn Oil)

D
250 ml hot water

Method
Sieve A and put aside.
Beat B until light and fluffy. The mixture should turn frothy and whitish.
Add in the milk and oil. Beat again.

Using a spatula gradually add in A, in batches. Don't overmix as the cake will be full of holes.
Lastly add in the hot water.

Bake in 2, 8 in cake tins for about 35 mins at 170 c. Baking time varies depending on your ovens.

Allow cake to cool on wire racks.



The Cream Chesse

A
12 g gelatine powder (about 11/2 Tbsp)
60 g water
Kak ita explains it better than me, so please refer here method

B
400 g cream cheese (I used Fatura) 
2 tsp coffee (I didn't)
60 g icing sugar (please sieve first)

C
300 g non diary whipping cream (cold, don't take out of fridge until you are ready to whip) (not available in supermarkets, only baking goods shops)

Method
Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature or it would be difficult to beat and will be lumpy.
Beat B until soft and smooth.
Add in A and beat again until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk the cold non diary whipping cream until stiff. This takes about 10 minutes or more if you're using a hand mixer or manual labor. Lenguh tangan!

Add the now stiff cream to the cream cheese. Put it into a piping bag and into the fridge to cool.



The Chocolate Ganache.

A
250 ml diary whipping cream (available in supermarkets near the cheese, yogurt sections I used Emborg)
40 g glukos syrup

B
400 g dark cooking chocolate (I use cooking chocolate by Meriah)
30 g butter or magarine

Boil A in a small pot until small bubbles appear. Take off heat and put in the chopped chocolate.
Don't stir yet, let it be. Gently stir occasionally and add in butter.

The chocolate will thicken, put in a piping bag and into the fridge to cool.


Nescafe syrup.
1 Tbsp nescafe
1/4 cup of warm water



Now to assemble the cake.

Its best to allow cake to cool completely before slicing it. I sliced each cake into two, so I get 4 layers.

Place one  layer on a cake board and brush with syrup.
First in the middle of the cake pipe a round about the size of a 20 sen coin of cream cheese.
Then pipe the chocolate ganache around it. Keep alternating chocolate and cream cheese until you reach the sides of the cake.
see picture here.


For the next layer start with chocolate ganache and repeat the same steps.

The first and third layer should be the same and the second one different for the effects later.
Stack cakes on top of each other and cover with the remaining cream cheese. Cool in fridge.

Double boil the remaining chocolate ganache. I just place the bowl of chocolate ganache over a smaller bowl of hot water while gently stirring as the chocoalte melts. 

Take the cake out of the fridge, the cream cheese should hardened. Pour the rest of the ganache over the cake. Cool again in the fridge before serving. This cake is easier to cut when cold. 


Good luck!