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Malted milk chocolate layer cake on a red cake stand frosted in smooth fluffy homemade chocolate frosting and decorated with colorful candy.
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5 from 1 vote

Malted Milk Chocolate Cake

This decadent Chocolate Malt Cake captures classic malted chocolate flavors in a show-stopping two-layered cake perfect for Easter dessert. In this recipe, the frosting is made first, then part of the frosting is reserved to ice the cake and the remainder is used to make the cake batter. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Additional Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 40 minutes
Course: Cakes
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Barbara Bakes LLC

Ingredients

Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 8 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons hot water
  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted*

Cake Batter

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup malted-milk powder
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • cup milk
  • Garnish
  • Whopper malted-milk ball eggs
  • Shaved Chocolate for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Coat bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pan); line bottoms with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.
  • Prepare Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, 3 tablespoons butter, and vanilla; beat at medium-high speed for two minutes. 
  • Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth. 
  • Gradually add hot water; beat until smooth. 
  • Add melted chocolate; beat just until smooth. 
  • Reserve 2 ¾ cups (900 grams) chocolate mixture for frosting; cover and chill 2 hours. 
  • Prepare Cake Batter: Add 5 tablespoons butter to remaining chocolate frosting in bowl. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 1 minute). 
  • Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 ¾ cups flour, malted milk powder, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. 
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the one-third of the flour mixture to the chocolate egg mixture, then add ⅓ cup of milk, add half of the remaining flour mixture and the remaining ⅓ cup of milk, then add the remaining flour mixture.  
  • Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. 
  • Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the top bounces back when lightly pressed. 
  • Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire rack.
  • Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with ½ cup frosting; top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
  • Shave your chocolate for the nest, arrange in the center of cake leaving an indentation in center for the Whopper Robin Eggs. Place eggs in the center. (Alternatively, sprinkle the top of cake with chopped malted-milk balls.) 
  • Chill 1 hour. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Notes

*To melt chocolate, place it in a small bowl or custard cup; microwave at HIGH 1 ½ minutes or until soft, stirring until melted.
High Altitude – I added 1 tablespoon additional flour and reduced the baking soda to 2 teaspoons. 
You can usually find malted milk powder with the hot chocolate mixes at the grocery store.