If you have never made this stunning cake (called a pie!) dating back many years from the American culinary heritage, now is the time to add it to your repertoire of special occasion cakes and be privileged to enjoy it for special occasions.
Cake layer
155 g butter
300 ml white sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
2 large eggs
500 ml cake flour
12,5 ml baking powder
1 ml salt
250 ml milk
Custard
60 ml cornflour
60 mlsugar
250 ml milk
3 large eggs
125 ml cream
pinch salt
5 ml vanilla essence
45 g butter
Chocolate glaze
1 x 100 g slab dark chocolate
15 ml water
15 ml butter
15 ml golden syrup or honey
pinch salt
2,5 ml vanilla essence
- Remove the butter from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before commencing to mix the cake to facilitate effective creaming.
- Line a 26 – 28 cm springform cake tin with baking paper and grease with cooking spray or butter or margarine. Preheat the oven to 180 º C.
- Place the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, add the sugar and beat well with or process until very light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl from time to time.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Combine the baking powder and salt with the flour, add about 1/3 at a time to the creamed mixture and beat in. Add half of the milk and beat or process.
- Add another 1/3 of the flour, beat and finish with the remaining milk and then flour and beat or process until blended.
- Turn the batter into the tin, smooth the top and bake about 45 – 50 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch and thoroughly cooked if tested with a metal skewer.
- Switch off the oven, open the door slightly and cool the cake in the oven for 10 minutes, then cool completely in the cake tin. Prepare the custard while the cake is baking.
- Combine all the ingredients except butter or margarine in a suitable bowl and beat well with a whisk.
- Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, beat well and microwave 2 minutes more or until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Beat well, microwave 1 minute more until thick and bubbly. Beat in the butter or margarine and cool, beating occasionally.
- Release the cake carefully from the tin and place on a serving plate. Carefully split the cake horizontally with an electric or very sharp knife. The cake is rich and brittle and should be handled with care while filling and assembling.
- Lift off the top half of the cake while supporting it with an extra large spatula or a spatula and a free hand.
- Spread the cooled custard over the bottom half and carefully place the top layer onto the custard.
- To make the glaze, place the chocolate and water into a suitable bowl, cover and microwave on MEDIUM for 1 – 2 minutes or until the chocolate has softened completely if tested with the tip of a teaspoon.
- Add the butter or margarine, syrup and vanilla essence, cover and microwave 30 seconds more.
- Stir until the glaze is smooth and cool slightly. Pour and spread the cooled glaze over the top of the cake allowing it to drip down the side. Refrigerate until required.
- Cut into slices with a sharp or electric knife, wiping the blades in between to ensure that custard does not spoil the glaze on top of the slices.
10 to 12 servings
Note: The flour may be replaced by any favourite Gluten Free Baking Mix.
Recipe by Carolié de Koster from Art Of Cooking page 575.