Dubai Chocolate Bar Cake
Milk chocolate cake layers with a pistachio and toasted phyllo dough filling and chocolate buttercream.
Ingredients
FOR THE MILK CHOCOLATE CAKE (this is 2/3 recipe of my milk chocolate cake to fit two 8-inch pans)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
- 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large or extra large eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 teaspoon (2.8 g) vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 1/6 cups (267 g) cake flour
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (33 g) cocoa powder
- 2/3 teaspoon (4 g) salt
- 1 1/3 cups (320 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) white distilled cooking vinegar
- 1 2/3 teaspoons (6.7 g) baking soda
For the Filling
- 1 cup Pistachio Paste homemade or store bought (see NOTE)
- 1/2 cup toasted Kataifi homemade or store bought (see NOTE)
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
- 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
- 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
- 1 tablespoon (13 g) pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk the cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high until light in color and fluffy in texture, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition. Continue to beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until smooth. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just incorporated and then add half of the buttermilk, followed by another 1/3 of the flour mixture, the second half of the buttermilk and lastly, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
- In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. The mixture will bubble. Add the mixture to the cake batter and stir on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another 20 seconds.
- Gently fold in the sour cream.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 22-23 ounces in each pan) and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Remove the cake pans from the oven and let the layers cool in pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- When cooled completely, torte the layers evenly, using a serrated knife or cake leveler. You should have 4 thin layers.
- Layers can be wrapped with plastic wrap and frozen to stay fresh. If the layers are totally frozen when you want to decorate the cake, let the layers sit at room temperature for about 30-60 mins to thaw.
For the FILLING
- Combine the pistachio paste and toasted Kataifi in a small mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- If making homemade versions of each, follow the instructions in the notes below or blog post above.
FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream for about a minute. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Stir to melt the chocolate and create a smooth ganache. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium high until light in color and fluffy in texture, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the chocolate ganache to the butter. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again until the mixture is smooth and silky.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, or until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again, and then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes. The mixture should be silky and smooth and lighter in color.
- If the buttercream seems too soft, you can refrigerate it for about 15 to 20 minutes before using.
FOR THE ASSEMBLY
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board. Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake and then spread about half of the pistachio filling evenly over the layer, making sure not to go over the edge of the cake.
- Place the second cake layer on top of the filling and evenly spread one cup of the chocolate buttercream on the cake.
- Place the third cake layer on top of the buttercream, pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge, and spread the remaining pistachio filling on it.
- Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the filling.
- Apply a thin coat of frosting around the entire cake to lock in the crumbs. Freeze for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- After the crumb coat is set, continue frosting and decorating the cake with remaining buttercream.
Notes
1. HOMEMADE PISTACHIO PASTE: you’ll need 6 ounces of shelled pistachios. To remove the skin, bring a small pot filled with 2 cups water to a boil. Soak the pistachios for about 30 seconds. Drain the water and put the pistachios on a clean kitchen towel. Rub it gently to peel off the brown skin.
In a food processor, process the cleaned pistachios for about 2 minutes. The pistachios should start becoming a paste. To thin out the paste, add a tablespoon of water. Continue to add additional tablespoons of water until the mixture becomes smooth (like a nut butter).
Optional add-ins to the pistachio paste: 1 tablespoon tahini (this is in the filling of the Dubai chocolate bar but I don’t think is necessary for the cake); 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar if you want the paste a little sweeter.
FOR THE HOMEMADE KATAIFI: You can make homemade Kataifi by shredding phyllo dough and then toasting it in a large fry pan with a couple tablespoons of butter.