Brigadeiro Cake

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE

•  8 eggs
•  300ml (about 1 1/3 cups) whole milk
•  255ml (about 1 cup) vegetable oil
•  2 + 1/4 cups brown sugar (360g)
•  2 teaspoons vanilla paste (or 4 teaspoons vanilla extract)
•  2 + 3/4 cups all purpose flour (365g)
•  1/2 cup cocoa powder (37g)
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  A pinch of salt

CHOCOLATE SOAK (TO MOISTEN THE CAKE)

•  3 tablespoons cocoa powder
•  2 tablespoons sugar
•  1/4 cup whole milk
•  1/2 cup heavy cream
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 teaspoon cognac

BRIGADEIRO FILLING

•  2 cans (28 oz total) sweet condensed milk
•  280g bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
•  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•  1 can Media Crema (225ml), serum removed (*see notes)

BRIGADEIRO FROSTING

•  2 cans (28 oz total) sweet condensed milk
•  300g bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
•  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•  Chocolate sprinkles to decorate

Instructions

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Butter two 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper. Brush another layer of butter over the parchment paper circles and then dust with flour, removing the excess. Reserve.
3. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Then, add the brown sugar and mix again.
4. Sift together all the dry ingredients and add them to the liquids, mixing well with a hand mixer, until there are no lumps left.
5. Divide the batter equally into the two pans and bring them to the oven.
6. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let it cool to room temperature.

MAKING THE CHOCOLATE SOAK

1. Combine all the ingredients (minus vanilla and cognac) in a saucepan. Bring it to the stove, over medium low heat, stirring constantly.
2. When it starts boiling, remove from heat and let it cool down. Then, add the vanilla and cognac. Reserve.

MAKING THE BRIGADEIRO FILLING

1. In a saucepan, combine the sweet condensed milk, chocolate and butter. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. (A way to know is to run your wooden spoon – or spatula – across the pan. If you see the bottom of the pan, the brigadeiro is ready!)
2. Remove brigadeiro from heat and add the Media Crema, mixing well.
3. Transfer the brigadeiro to a butter plate and cover with plastric wrap. Reserve until cooled to room temperature.

BRIGADEIRO FROSTING

1. Repeat the steps above, minus the table cream.

ASSEMBLING CAKE

1. Level the cakes and slice each cake into two layers making a total of four layers of cake.
2. Place the bottom layer on a flat serving platter or a cake stand lined with strips of waxed paper to keep it clean while assembling the cake. Brush with the chocolate soak and top with 1/3 of the brigadeiro filling, spreading smoothly with a spatula. Repeat with the next two layers, finishing off with a cake layer brushed with chocolate soak.
3. Bring the cake to the freezer for 30 minutes before frosting.
4. Then, spread the brigadeiro frosting evenly around the side and over the top of the cake. You will have extra to make brigadeiro balls to decorate. Pop that in the fridge so it’s easier to roll the balls.
5. Top the cake with chocolate sprinkles, covering both the top and sides.
6. With the remaining brigadeiro frosting, make chocolate balls (it’s easier if you grease your hands with butter) and roll them on chocolate sprinkles.
7. Decorate the cake with the brigadeiro balls and serve (or refrigerate overnight).

Notes

To remove the table cream’s serum, wash the can and pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes. When cold, make two small holes with a knife (or can opener) in the bottom of the can. Then, turn the can back up (bottom side down) over a recipient, and all the serum will come out.