Chocolate Pocky Cake and Chocolate Buttercream
A smooth chocolaty cake blends with whipped cream. Crumbled Pocky gives the dessert a pleasant surprise crunch...Nuts are great additions to cake...But, Pocky is better!
The recipes are closely adapted from Ghirardelli's Grand Fudge Cake and Chocolate Buttercream recipes.
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1¾ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups coconut milk (or almond or regular)
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 12 tablespoons softened butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2/3 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Cream Filling:
- 1/2 pint heavy cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
For the Garnish and Cream Filling:
- 2 packages of Chocolate Pocky
- 2 packages of Strawberry Cream Pocky
Set the oven to 350 degrees. Butter, flour and line two 9-inch pans with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.
In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and light. (About 5 minutes.) One at a time, add the eggs and vanilla. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. When the batter is smooth, stop the mixer. Divide the batter between two 9-inch pans.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.
Cream the butter to a fluffy lightness. Whisk together the sugar and cocoa. Add to the butter bowl alternately with the coconut milk. Stir in the vanilla.
Whip up a 1/2 pint of heavy cream with 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until stiff peaks appear. Slather the whipped cream in between the layers with 1/4 cup of crumbled Pocky. (I used Strawberry Cream Pocky.)
Frost the cake. Arrange the Pocky around the cake. Crumble the rest of the Pocky and decorate the top of the frosted chocolate cake....Or enjoy as a snack!