ITALIAN MAMMA'S CAKE 

This luscious dessert cake is a specialty of Sassi's Restaurant at Clifton Hill, Victoria 

YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 packet sponge cake mix 

• 1 cup strong black coffee 

• ½ cup coffee liqueur ( Kahlua or Tia Maria ) 

• ½ cup brandy 

• 1 tablespoon sugar 

• ½ cup cream cocoa

 CUSTARD FROSTING AND FILLING 

• ½ cup cornflour 

• ½ cup custard powder 

• ½ cup sugar 

• 2 teaspoons vanilla 

• 1½ cups cream 

• 2½ cups milk 

• 30g ( 10z ) butter 

• 2 egg yolks 

• 90g ( 30z ) dark chocolate 

FROSTING AND FILLING 

Place cornflour, custard powder, and sugar into a saucepan and stir until combined. Gradually add milk, and stir until smooth and free of lumps. Add vanilla and until stir cream, combined. Stir over low heat until custard boils and thickens Add butter, and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat, add beaten egg yolks, and mix well. Place custard in a bowl, cover with plastic food wrap and allow to become cold. Place roughly chopped chocolate in the top half of a double saucepan, place over simmering water until melted, and allow to cool slightly. Divide custard mixture into halves. Leave one-half vanilla, add melted chocolate to the other half, and mix well. 

ITALIAN MAMMA'S CAKE RECIPE:

Make up sponge mix according to the directions on the packet, and pour the mixture into a greased deep 23cm ( 9in ) round cake tin. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake shrinks slightly from the sides of the tin. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Combine cold coffee, liqueur, brandy, and sugar, and mix well. Cut cake into four even layers, place the first layer of cake onto a serving plate; brush well with coffee liqueur mixture.

Spread half of the vanilla custard mixture evenly over the cake. Place the second layer of cake on top of the custard, and brush with the coffee liqueur mixture.

spread one-third of the chocolate custard over the cake. Place the third layer of cake on top of the custard, brush with the coffee mixture, and spread with the remaining half of the vanilla custard. Top with the fourth layer of cake, and brush with the coffee mixture. 

Spread the remaining chocolate custard over the top and side of the cake, and smooth over the surface with a large spatula. The refrigerator ate for several hours overnight. Pipe a decorative border of cream around the top of the cake, and sprinkle cream with finely sifted cocoa.

Also Read: ITALIAN PANETTONE FESTIVE CAKE