DUTCH MOCHA CHOCOLATE CAKE

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided use
1 cup very strong hot coffee
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 ounces dairy sour cream
5 egg whites
1 cup sugar
Unforgettable White Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and the 3/4 cup sugar. Gradually whisk in coffee till mixture is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour three 9x1 1/2-inch round baking pans. Set aside.

Sift together cake flour, soda and salt into medium bowl; set aside. In a very large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer 30 seconds. Add 1 cup sugar and vanilla; beat well.

Whisk or stir the sour cream into the cooled cocoa mixture. Add dry ingredients alternately with cocoa mixture to the creamed mixture, beating after each addition till just combined.

Using clean beaters, in a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium to high speed 1 minute or till soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add the remaining 1 cup sugar and beat on high speed till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight), but egg whites aren't dry. Gently fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into cake batter to lighten. Fold in remaining meringue. Divide the cake batter among three prepared pans.

Bake at 350 F. for 25-30 minutes or till toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove the cake layers from pans and completely cool on wire racks.

Frost cooled cake with Unforgettable White Chocolate Frosting or other white frosting. Cover and chill. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

UNFORGETTABLE WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
(Makes enough frosting for a 9-inch 3-layer cake or a 17-1/2x 11-1/2-inch sheet cake)

"Three ingredients -white chocolate, cream cheese and butter - combine in this fudgelike frosting. It's heavenly!"

18 ounces white chocolate baking bar, chopped
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups butter, cut in pieces

In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate over low heat. Cool till slightly warm.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer till smooth. Add butter; beat until fluffy. Gradually add cooled chocolate, beating until well blended.


Servings: 16
From: Dusty's English Inn, near Eaton Rapids, Michigan
Source: Midwest Living magazine - December 1997