Mole Cake (German Maulwurftorte)

Ingredients

For Cake Mixture

• 4 egg whites, of medium eggs
• 4 1/2 ounces soft butter or margarine
• 4 1/2 ounces sugar
• 3 drops vanilla essence, in
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 egg yolks, of medium eggs
• 2 ounces all-purpose flour
• 1/3 ounce cocoa powder
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 ounces ground hazelnut kernels
• 3 1/2 ounces grated dark bitter chocolate

For Filling

• sour cherry (jar drained weight, 12 oz)
• 2 bananas
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 drops vanilla essence, in
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease the base of 10 inch round form.

2. 2

   Beat egg whites very stiff. Stir in the softened butter or margarine with a hand mixer until it becomes smooth. Gradually add sugar and vanilla sugar, stir until mixture has thickened. Add egg yolks one at a time, whisking with mixer at the highest setting.

3. 3

   Mix together cocoa powder and baking powder, sift, add the hazelnuts and grated chocolate to the egg mixture in 2 stages and stir briefly using the medium setting on your mixer.

4. 4

   Put the cake mixture in the springform and smooth the surface.

5. 5

   Place in oven for about 30 minutes.

6. 6

   Leave cake in tin for about 10 minutes after taking out of the oven.

7. 7

   After removing from form place on cooling rack.

8. 8

   When cool, scoop out cake with a spoon to a depth of 3/8 inch, leaving a rim of about 3/8 -3/4 inch. To ensure a neat rim, cut round the cake with tip of a knife before scooping out the middle.

9. 9

   Crumble the scooped out cake in a bowl.

10. 10

    For the filling drain the cherries and place on a paper towel.

11. 11

    Peel the bananas, cut in half lengthways, sprinkle with lemon juice and arrange in scooped out cake.

12. 12

    Arrange the cherries on top.

13. 13

    Whip the cream with sugar and vanilla sugar, spoon on the fruit to form a dome.

14. 14

    Sprinkle with the remaining crumbled cake.

15. 15

    Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.