Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Cocoa Cream Filling

Recipe Source: Playing With Flour

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup freshly brewed coffee, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Have a 10-inch ungreased tube pan ready.
2. In a large bowl, sift cake flour, cocoa, 3/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a medium-size bowl, whisk egg yolks together with the oil, coffee, and vanilla.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
4. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
5. Beat until soft peaks emerge, then gradually add remaining 3/4 cup of sugar and beat until whites are just stiff and glossy.
6. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter in 3 increments until just blended. Avoid deflating the batter as much as possible.
7. Pour batter into the ungreased tube can. Run a knife through the batter to eliminate air bubbles and smooth the top.
8. Bake until cake springs back lightly to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and immediately invert the cake (upside down over a cup or large bottle) to cool completely (allow up to 3 hours).
9. Remove the cake by running a sharp knife around the sides of the pan and the center core, angling the knife towards the pan to try to keep the crust intact on the cake.
10. Make cocoa cream filling: Place the cold heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer (preferably also cold) fitted with the whisk attachment.
11. Add sugar and cocoa powder and being beating together. Add vanilla extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks.
12. Assemble cake: Using a serrated knife, slice cake horizontally into equal 3 layers. Spread half of the cocoa cream onto the bottom layer.
13. Place the middle layer on top of it and spread remaining cream evenly across. Top with the last layer of cake. (You could reserve a bit of the cream to pipe a decoration on top of the cake, if desired. You could also dust the top of the cake with some unsweetened cocoa powder.)
14. The cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Cut slices and bring to room temperature before serving.