Serves 12 1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 ounces (1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 ounces ( 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) hot coffee
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Godiva Liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease the sides of two 15-1/2 by 10-1/2 inch jelly-roll
pans. Line them with parchment or buttered waxed paper, melted
butter or non-stick vegetable spray for greasing the pan.
Sift the flour, cocoa, ancho, cayenne, baking powder, baking soda
and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. Sift two more times to mix
and aerate.
Put the butter and sugar in the bowl or an electric mixer and beat
at high speed for two minutes until well combined and smooth. Add
the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Continue
beating until light and very fluffy, scraping down the sides of
the bowl if necessary, about five more minutes. With the mixer on
its lowest setting, or by hand with a rubber spatula, fold in one
half of the dry mixture. Fold in the vanilla and one quarter of
the buttermilk and coffee; another one third of the dry mixture
and then the remaining buttermilk and coffee. Finally, fold in the
remaining ingredients.
Spread the batter evenly in the two pans. Bake for 30 minutes or
until the center springs back when lightly pressed. Cool the cake
layers, in the pans, on a wire rack.
When cool, turn them out of the pans by inverting each one onto a
plate. Split each cake into two layers and fill with the Marshmallow
Frosting to create a four layer cake. Frost the outside with Ganache.
Godiva Liqueur Marshmallow Frosting
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups corn syrup
5 egg whites
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup Godiva Liqueur
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter at room temperature
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
Put the water, sugar and corn syrup in a medium, heavy-bottomed
saucepan and cook over high heat to soft ball (240 degrees). If
necessary, stir a few times to help dissolve the sugar crystals.
Meanwhile, in an immaculately clean and dry mixing bowl, whisk the
egg whites with a pinch of salt. When soft peaks form, sprinkle on
the teaspoon of sugar and whisk until the peaks stiffen to the
consistency of shaving cream. Set aside until the syrup is ready.
While constantly whisking the egg whites, carefully drizzle in the
hot syrup. Mix in the Godiva Liqueur and continue to whisk until
cooled down, thickened and spreadable.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the butter and
confectioner's sugar. Fold in the egg white mixture.