CHOCOLATE MERINGUE CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• FOR CAKE:.
• Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter at medium speed until creamy.
• Add sugar and beat well.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time and beat until well blended after each addition.
• In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and 2 teaspoons flavoring.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cocoa. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture; beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat at low speed after each addition until well blended.
• Stir in the pecans and mix well.
• Fold in the beaten egg whites and pour the batter into 3 well greased 9 inch cake pans.
• Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove cake to wire racks to cool completely.
• CREAM CHEESE FILLING:.
• Beat the first four ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
• Once the cake cools completely, spread this filling between the layers.
• GANACHE:.
• Bring whipping cream to a simmer in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
• Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted.
• Cool until ganache becomes a spreading consistency (stirring often).
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with ganache reserving 1/2 cup.
• MERINGUES:.
• Beat the egg whites, vinegar and salt at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.
• Gradually add sugar; beating until soft peaks form and sugar dissolves.
• Fold in chocolate.
• Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake at 250°F for 35 minutes.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Once cool, mound meringues on top of cake to form a small mountain, beginning at the sides and working in, layering 3-4 layers high. Drizzle the meringues with the remaining ganache.
• TO SERVE THE CAKE:.
• Before cutting, remove the meringues with small tongs and use them as a garnish on each cake serving.
• TO STORE:.
• IF you have any cake left, store it in the refrigerator without the meringues. Store the meringues in an airtight container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form; set aside.
• Beat butter at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• Combine buttermilk and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut and pecans. Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9" round cakepans.
• Bake at 350° for 19 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove cake layers to wire racks, and cool completely.
• Spread Cream Cheese Filling between layers. Spread Ganache on top and sides of cake, reserving 1/2 cup ganache. Mound Meringues on top of cake. Drizzle meringues with reserved ganache. To serve cake, remove meringues with small tongs, and serve a few meringues as a garnish with each serving.
• 8" Cake Variation: For 8" cake layers, bake layers 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Storage Tip: Refrigerate leftover cake without meringues. Store meringues in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Make-Ahead Elements: Bake cake layers ahead, and freeze up to 1 month. Bake meringues a day ahead, and store in tins. Prepare Cream Cheese Filling a day ahead, and store in refrigerator. Thaw cake layers at room temperature before assembling cake.