CHOCOLATE DOBERGE CAKE

Prep Time: 2 Hours
Yields: 6-8 Servings

Comment:
Invented by a New Orleans woman named Beulah Ledner, who came from a baking family in Germany, this dessert quickly gained popularity in Louisiana. It is a variation on the famed Hungarian-Austrian dobos torta, which was thin layers of sponge cake filled with butter cream. She changed that to thin layers of butter cake with a custard filling, either chocolate or lemon.

Ingredients for Cake:
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
10 tbsps butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs separated whites beaten until stiff
1 cup buttermilk
2 squares unsweetened chocolate melted
1-1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract

Method for Cake:
Preheat oven to 300. Grease and flour 2 round cake pans. In a medium bowl sift flour, soda and salt 3 times. Cream margarine and sugar in a large mixing bowl then add egg yolks one at a time. Gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk then add chocolate and mix well by beating about 3 minutes. Fold in the three beaten egg whites, vanilla and almond extract. Bake 45 minutes. Allow cake to completely cool then split each layer into thirds to make six thin layers.

Ingredients for Filling:
2-1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 squares semisweet chocolate
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
5 tbsps flour
4 egg yolks
2 tbsps butter
1-1/4 tsps vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract

Method for Fillings:
Put milk and chocolate in a saucepan and heat until chocolate is melted. In a bowl combine sugar and flour. Make a paste by adding hot milk chocolate by tablespoons to the sugar and flour and then return to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thick. Add 4 egg yolks all at once and stir rapidly to completely blend. Cook 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat then and add butter, vanilla and almond extract. Cool and spread on cake layering as you go. Do not spread on top layer.

Ingredients for Frosting:
3 cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
2 ounces bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate
4 tbsps butter
1 tsp vanilla

Method for Frosting:
Combine sugar and milk in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 6 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and blend in chocolate. Add butter and vanilla and return to medium low heat cooking 2 minutes. Place in refrigerator to cool. Beat well and then spread on top and sides of the cake.