Chocolate Overload: Malt Cake

DEAR SOS: I would love to have the recipe for Classic Malt Cake served at T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants. Can you help?

CAROLE STAPLETON

Upland

DEAR CAROLE: Here’s the recipe. Malt powder and pasteurized egg yolks or egg substitute are available at most supermarkets.

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T.G.I. Friday’s Malt Cake

Active Work Time: 1 hour * Total Preparation Time: 3 hours

MALT FROSTING

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate pieces

2 cups whipping cream

1 1/4 cups malt powder

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons pasteurized egg yolks

* Melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.

* Beat whipping cream and malt powder in electric mixer on high until stiff but not dry, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.

* Whip sugar, cream cheese and vanilla in separate bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add pasteurized egg yolks and beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl often. Add melted chocolate chips and beat 1 more minute.

* Add half of malt-cream mixture and beat until uniform in color. Fold in remaining malt-cream mixture by hand until frosting is uniform in color. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before icing cake.

CAKE

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1/2 cup pasteurized egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups sugar

3 cups flour

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda

Pinch salt

1 1/4 cups boiling water

Butter for preparing pans

* Beat oil, milk, yogurt, egg yolks and vanilla with electric mixer until well blended, about 2 minutes.

* Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in separate bowl.

* Slowly add 1/3 of dry ingredients to milk mixture and beat until well-blended. Beat in 1/3 of boiling water. Add another 1/3 of dry ingredients and beat until well-mixed, then beat in another 1/3 of water. Add remaining dry ingredients, beating well, then add remaining water and beat until well mixed. Scrape mixing bowl often.

* Pour equal amounts of batter into 3 (9-inch) lightly buttered and floured round cake pans lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake at 300 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Do not open oven during baking.

* Cool layers in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn layers out onto racks and continue to cool completely. Frost top of 1 layer with Malt Frosting, then place 2nd layer on top and frost. Top with 3rd layer and frost top and sides.

10 to 12 servings. Each of 10 servings: 1,064 calories; 87 mg sodium; 196 mg cholesterol; 63 grams fat; 128 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.83 gram fiber.

Plate and napkin from Julienne’s, San Marino.