Recipe - Malted Chocolate Cake with Malteser (Malt Ball) Edging

Malted Chocolate Cake with Malteser (Malt Ball) Edging

This makes a very large cake that will easily serve 12-14 people, depending on their stamina for chocolate. It is also very easy to decorate and make look pretty without any great skill, because I am not good at icing cakes. This is definitely a celebration cake and the malt icing gives a lovely break from the rich chocolate. I've made this cake three times in 2 months :). (Forgot to add - it's based off of this recipe, but, as usual, I've played with it and this is not the pinata version).

Equipment

• 2 20cm cake tins
• grease proof/parchment paper
• mixer
• bowls
• cake cutter or knife
• pallet knife or spatula
• measuring equipment
• cake board

Ingredients

For the cake

• 400g/14oz/1 3.4cups/3.5 sticks butter/cooking spread (room temp)
• 400g/10oz/2 cups caster (super-fine) sugar
• 8 medium eggs (7 large)
• 300g/11oz/2 cups self-raising flour
• 50g/2oz/~1/2 cup malt-flavoured drinking powder (e.g. Horlicks)
• 60g/2.25oz/~1/2 cup cocoa powder

For the icing and decoration

• 100g/3.5oz milk chocolate
• 100g/3.5oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
• 1 large bag (93g) Maltesers or malt balls + extra for decorating
• 365g/1.7 cups butter (room temp and soft)
• 700g/5.6 cups icing sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2.5 tbsp milk
• 2.5 tbsp malt-flavoured drinking powder (e.g. Horlicks)
• any sprinkles that take your fancy

Instructions

For the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F)/160C (320F) fan/Gas mark 6
2. Line the base of the cake tins with grease proof paper and grease the sides with butter.
3. Cream together the caster sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Beat the eggs in a jug or bowl and add to the butter and sugar a little at a time. If the mixture curdled (looks lumpy) add a spoonful or two of the flour to bring it back.
5. Mix in the flour, cocoa and malt powder until smooth and completely combined.
6. Spoon half the mixture into each cake tin.
7. Bake in the oven for 45-50mins - they should be just firm to the touch and a skewer should come out clean when they are done.
8. Leave to cool a little, then turn out onto a wire wrack to cool completely.
9. Divide each cake in half with the cake cutter to make four layers in all and if there is a slight mound on the top of the cake which will be on the bottom, flatten this off with cake cutter as well.

For the icing

1. Place the icing sugar and butter into the mixer or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer and beat together until light and fluffy. (Place a cloth round the top of the bowl when first mixing to prevent icing sugar going everywhere :)).
2. Divide the mixture in half.
3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl, either over a pan of simmering water, or in 30s intervals in the microwave. Allow to cool a little.
4. Beat the chocolate and 1tbsp of milk into half of the icing. Add a little more milk if the icing is thick and grainy and beat until it is smooth.
5. To the other half of the icing beat in the malt powder and the other tbsp of milk. If the icing is too thick add a little more milk until the icing is of a consistency to spread.

To assemble the cake (the amounts of icing are only approximate)

1. Take the first layer of cake and cement it to the cake board with a little splodge of icing.
2. Spread 1/4 of the malt icing over the surface.
3. Place the second layer of cake on top.
4. Spread 1/3 chocolate icing over the surface.
5. Place the 3rd layer of cake on top.
6. Spread with 1/4 of the malt icing.
7. Place the 4th layer of cake on top.
8. Crush the Maltesers in a bowl (easiest way is using the end of a rolling pin)
9. Cover the sides of the cake in the other half of the malt icing.
10. Using a hand, coat the malt icing with a layer the crushed Maltesers.
11. Spread the rest of the chocolate icing on the top of the cake and decorate with a few whole Maltesers and sprinkles.

Version of the cake I made for Easter 2019