New Year's Eve Cake
Submitted by muni
New Year’s Eve clock cake: three airy white cake layers stacked with silky chocolate cream filling, wrapped in rich Hungarian chocolate frosting and decorated to look like a clock striking midnight.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
25 minREADY
180 minA proper celebration cake for the last night of the year, built to impress the whole room when the clock hits twelve. Three light, egg-white-leavened cake layers get sandwiched with chocolate cream filling and covered in a glossy Hungarian-style chocolate frosting. The finishing touch is a clock face piped in white icing with hands pointing to twelve.
The cake itself is a traditional white cake where folded-in whipped egg whites provide all the lift. That approach produces an exceptionally fine, tender crumb that carries the chocolate filling and frosting without feeling heavy. Sifting the cake flour three times is old-school technique that absolutely matters for the texture.
The Hungarian chocolate frosting is different from standard buttercream. It builds on a base of melted unsweetened chocolate, powdered sugar, hot water, and raw egg yolks beaten in one at a time, finishing with butter by the tablespoon. The result is silkier and richer than typical American frosting.
Chef Tips
- Bring butter, eggs, and milk to full room temperature. Cold ingredients won’t cream properly and the cake won’t rise evenly.
- Fold in the egg whites gently. Aggressive mixing deflates them and produces a dense cake.
- Temper the egg yolks carefully in the filling. Pour a little hot mixture into them first before returning everything to the double boiler, or you’ll scramble them.
- Frost only once the cake is completely cool. Warm cake melts the frosting into a slick puddle.
Variations
- Swap white cake for yellow cake by using whole eggs instead of just whites.
- Add a tablespoon of instant espresso to the filling for a mocha boost.
- Decorate with edible gold stars or sparklers instead of a clock face for any holiday.
Ingredients
Directions
Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt and sift together three times.
Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy.
Add flour, alternately with milk, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth.
Add flavoring.
Fold in egg whites quickly and thoroughly.
Bake in three greased 9-inch layer pans in moderate oven (375F) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Spread Chocolate Cream Filling between layers and Hungarian Chocolate Frosting on top and sides of cake.
When frosting is set, write the numbers from one to twelve around top of cake with white frosting to represent the face of a clock.
Place hands of clock at twelve o’clock.
CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLING: Add chocolate to milk and heat in double boiler.
When chocolate is melted, beat with rotary egg beater until blended.
Combine sugar, flour, and salt; add gradually to chocolate mixture and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally.
Pour small amount of mixture over egg yolks, stirring vigorously; return to double boiler and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
Add butter and vanilla, and cool.
Makes 2½ cups filling, or enough filling to spread between three 9- inch layers.
Use this filling in small cup cakes.
Use ½ recipe for filling 2½ to 3 dozen small cup cakes.
HUNGARIAN CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Melt chocolate in double boiler.
Remove from boiling water, add sugar and water, and blend.
Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating will after each.
Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, beating thoroughly after each amount.
Makes enough frosting to cover the top of one 9-inch layer and sides of three 9-inch layers, or to cover the tops and sides of two 9- inch layers.
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