Rum and Chocolate Buttercream Torte

This Rum and Chocolate Buttercream Torte is very well appreciated every time I serve it. I sometimes like to sprinkle toasted and roughly chopped hazelnuts over the filling and on top of this torte, which makes a very delicious variation to this basic recipe.

Vanilla Cake

Cream well:

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp butter
1 cups sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Add

1 egg

Beat until well creamed.

Sift together
½ cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
½ cup + 1 tbsp cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder

Fold the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, alternately with

1/3 cup +1 tbsp whole milk

Beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter into a 9 inch cake pan that has been greased and floured and the bottom lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Buttercream Filling:

1 cups sugar
1/3 cup water

Combine and bring to a boil. Continue to boil over medium heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile beat together to stiff peaks

3 egg whites at room temperature
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Slowly pour in the sugar syrup hitting the side of the bowl and not the beaters. Continue beating the frosting for 10-15 minutes until the meringue is completely cool. When completely cool, slowly begin to add, a few tablespoons at a time

1 cup softened unsalted butter

Beat until smooth after each addition.

Combine and melt in a double boiler:

8 ounces chocolate, chopped in small pieces
¼ cup butter

Add to the meringue mixture and beat well until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. This may take 15 minutes or so and you may have to chill the frosting for several minutes before beating it again to get it to stiffen. Alternatively, you can place the frosting bowl in an ice bath while continuing to beat constantly until the icing stiffens sufficiently.

To assemble the torte:

Split the vanilla cake into 2 layers. Sprinkle each half of the cake with

1 ounce dark rum

Fill and frost the cake with the buttercream frosting and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before finishing with the Chocolate Ganache Glaze.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup scalded whipping cream
Pour scalded cream over the chocolate chips and let stand for 5 minutes before stirring until completely smooth. Pour and spread over the entire torte.