This year for Orthodox Christmas I wanted to make something sweet that I haven’t made in a while. So I pulled out my recipe binder and started flipping. And I came across a recipe I’ve had for years and probably haven’t had for just as: Čoko Moko Torta. I knew this would be a great recipe to share with you all because if you buy the pre-made cake layers you’re really doing only half of the work making this a quick recipe..yes I said quick. It’s Balkan food, quick means under 3 hours 🙂
The recipe I have for Čoko Moko Torta (my aunt’s) calls for store-bought cake layers. These can be purchased at most Balkan food stores or ordered through online Balkan stores. Luckily, my area has multiple grocery stores that carry Balkan products so they’re always handy.
Except when I was making this cake.
You see, I went to multiple stores in search of cake layers but all were sold out. I should have known better…it was the holidays after all. And because I know many of you who read my blog don’t have Balkan stores or products easily available, I’ve included a simple chocolate cake layer recipe so you too can make this cake. It will take longer (I made the cake layers the night before assembling) but it’s such a delicious cake it will be totally worth it.
2 fillings make up this cake, one is a vanilla-flavored whipped cream and the other is a delicious (and I mean DELICIOUS) Plazma Keks and Greek yogurt concoction that I eat with a spoon all by itself. So good but not too sweet. When making this for my husband and me, I use half the amount of sugar in the recipe. But if you have a sweet tooth definitely use the full amount. My mouth is salivating just thinking about this delicious cake. And I’m not even a cake person!
I hope you give this super simple cake recipe a try very soon. I know as soon as you taste it, you’ll be adding it to your dessert recipe collection for sure.
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Čoko Moko Torta/ Čoko Moko Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: Balkan, Serbian10
servings1
hour40
minutesČoko Moko is a simple cake comprised of whipped cream, vanilla biscuit cookies, and chocolate cake layers.
Ingredients
- Cake Layer x3 (If you can’t find 1 package of pre-made cake layers)
3 eggs (whites and yolks separated)
3 tablespoons (40 g) sugar
3 tablespoons (24 g) Nesquik powder or 1 tablespoon (8 g) cocoa powder
1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil
3 tablespoons (45 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder (1 kesica)
- Whipped Cream Filling
1 quart (950 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (1 kesica)
4 tablespoons (50 g) sugar, to taste
1 whipped cream stabilizer (like Whip It)
- Plazma Filling
1 package (300 g) ground Plazma Keks biscuits (Lane in the US)
4 cups (800 g) Greek Yogurt (I use Fage 0%)
1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
1 cup (250 g) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (1 kesica)
Milk, as needed
- Also
2 cups (235 ml) chocolate milk
Chocolate or Plazma/Lane biscuits for decorating
Directions
- Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350 F/175 C. Line the bottom of a round 12 inch / 30 cm baking pan (I like to use a springform pan) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl begin to whip the egg whites with a hand mixer. When they start to become foamy slowly begin adding in the sugar a little at a time. Whip to stiff peaks.
- Once the egg whites are whipped, turn down the speed to medium and begin adding the egg yolks one at a time. Continue mixing. Next add in the oil, mix until incorporated, and then add in the Nesquik powder, flour, and baking powder. Mix briefly until all of the ingrediants are incorporated. Turn off the mixer.
- Pour the batter into the lined baking pan, smooth to ensure an even layer, and bake 15-20 minutes until baked through completely. Remove from the oven and place on a flat surface to cool.
- Repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 cake layers.
- Plazma Filling
- In a large mixing bowl add in the Greek yogurt and sour cream. Whisk on medium speed until incorporated. Next add in the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Mix until incorporated and turn off the mixer.
- Add in the ground Plazma biscuits and mix with a spatula to incorporate. If your mixture is very thick (not spreadable), thin it out with milk a little at a time until it is smooth and easy to spread. Make sure you do not make it too thin or it will flow out of the cake.
- Set aside until ready to use.
- White Filling – Whipped Cream
- In a large mixing bowl pour in the heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla sugar, and the whipped cream stabalizer.
- Using a hand mixer, whip on high speed until the whipped cream is very thick and completely whipped. Set aside until ready to use.
- Assembly
- Place your bottom cake layer on your serving dish. Make sure to remove the parchment paper. Next, spoon a couple of tablespoons of chocolate milk on top but be careful that you don’t soak the sponge too much. There should be no chocolate milk around the sides or leaking out (about 4-5 tablespoons should be enough).
- Next, spread 1/3 of the Plazma layer on top of the cake carefully. Ensure an even layer.
- Spread 1/3 of the whipped cream on top of the Plazma layer in an even layer.
- Place a 2nd cake layer on top of the whipped cream layer. Repeat steps 1-3 again until all ingrediants are used.
- Use the remaining whipped cream to cover the whole cake and for any decorations on top.
Notes
- Once you have both filling prepared, divide them into 3 equal portions each. That way your cake layers will show evenly when sliced and you don’t have to worry if one layer has more than another 🙂
- If you don’t have chocolate milk, use regular milk instead.
