Malted Chocolate Cake with Malted White Chocolate Frosting
This fabulous malted chocolate cake, complete with crushed Whoppers, includes a malted white chocolate frosting. Originally titled Chocolate and Malteaser Cake in Delicious Magazine.
I had torn this recipe out of an issue of Delicious more than a year ago and had earmarked it for Easter. However, last year I had a three-month old and that just was not happening. Each time I flipped past it in my binder, I made a mental note to remember it for this year, and remember it, I did! You could absolutely make this any time of year, but I always associate Whoppers and speckled malted robin’s eggs with Easter, so I ran with it.
If you need a show-stopping dessert for Sunday, look no further!
I can’t even begin to tell you how absolutely thrilled I was with how this cake turned out. If you love malt flavor, this cake is right up your alley. There is malted milk powder in both the cake and frosting, and crushed Whoppers candies in the cake, as well. It’s almost like eating the world’s best malted milkshake.
The consistency of the cake is a bit denser than what you would imagine as a traditional fluffy cake – it’s still wonderfully moist and a bit sponge-like. I would almost describe it as a moist, cakey brownie. Delicious! The malted white chocolate frosting is the perfect accompaniment.
Grab a bag of Whoppers, some of those fabulous speckled malt eggs and make this cake (it’s easier than you think!) for Easter dessert this weekend.
Then, get the biggest fork you can find and dig in!
One year ago: Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas
Two years ago: Ciabatta Bread
Five years ago: Salted Peanut Chews
Six years ago: Easy Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Seven years ago: Blueberry Crumb Cake
Malted Chocolate Cake with Malted White Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) superfine or caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 4½ ounces (127.57 g) dark chocolate, melted
- 5 tablespoons Lyle's golden syrup
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (125 g) malted milk powder
- ¾ cup (64.5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (244 ml) whole milk
- ⅔ cup (153.33 ml) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (208 g) Whoppers candies, crushed
For the Frosting:
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3½ cups (420 g) powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons malted milk powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 10½ ounces (297.67 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
- ⅔ cup (158.67 ml) heavy cream
- Speckled malted eggs, for garnishing
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, grease the parchment, and dust with flour.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (after the second and third eggs the batter may look curdled, but once you give it a good mix, it will smooth out). Add the melted dark chocolate and the Lyle's golden syrup and mix until well combined.
- In a large (2-cup) measuring cup, whisk together the milk, sour cream and vanilla extract.
- Add one-third of the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed until combined, then add half of the milk mixture, beating well. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and the remaining milk mixture. Finish with the final third of the flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the crushed Whoppers into the batter, ensuring that no dry streaks remain.
- Divide the batter between the cake pans and smooth the top into an even layer. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 45 to 55 minutes. All the cakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: Place the white chocolate and heavy cream in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a small saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- 8. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the sugar has been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium, add the malted milk powder and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Gradually pour in the cooled melted white chocolate mixture, beating until smooth.
- Assemble the Cake: Using a cake divider or long serrated knife, slice each cake layer in half horizontally so you have four layers. Place one layer on a serving dish and spread with ¾ cup of the frosting. Top with a second layer of cake, then spread again with another ¾ cup of the frosting. Repeat with the final two layers of the cake. Using a large offset spatula, cover the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate the top with the speckled malted eggs.
Notes
- Lyle's Golden Syrup is a sugar syrup that falls between honey and molasses in terms of color and flavor. I purchase it in the British section of the international foods aisle in my local grocery store. If you can't find it locally, it can also be ordered from King Arthur Flour or Amazon.
- The frosting can be made the day before, covered and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before frosting the cake, to allow it time to soften.
- The baked cake layers can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before frosting the cake.
- I assembled this entire cake the day before I was going to be serving it and since the frosting was on the softer side, I refrigerated the cake. I thought that doing this caused the cake layers to become too dense (they were softer and more sponge-like when initially assembling the cake), so I would not recommend refrigerating before serving. It ended up sitting out all day once it was served and the frosting never drooped or slid, so I don't think it would be an issue.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Hi Michelle,
I’m wondering if the cake should be baked in 9” pans. I baked in 8 inch, had left over batter in the bowl, and the cake baked over in the oven. Haven’t taken out of the oven yet but I anticipate needing to cut the edges off that cooked over the pan. Any thoughts about what went wrong- or were the pans too small?
Hi Michelle, I did use the 8-inch pans and didn’t have a problem with them being overfilled. Mine are 2 inches high though; do you know how high yours are?
In reading through the comments for the recipe it sounds like other people had the same issue I did. Might help to specify the pan height in the recipe itself. I didn’t read the comments before baking and wish had.
I was wondering if I can use powdered milk to make Vanilla Pudding from scratch? If so, I can mix it ahead of time and have it on-hand to make my kitchen and preparation more sufficient. Do I just add water to the recipe when preparing since the powdered milk is already mixed in?
Hi, I’m thinking of making this cake (or maybe a variation with a regular chocolate cake) for Easter.. I realize my question is going to be one about personal preference, but I’m very curious about the white chocolate malted frosting. Would you consider this frosting to be super sweet, does the white chocolate make the buttercream that much sweeter or does the malt powder balance out the sweetness? Thank you!
Hi Lauren, It’s definitely a personal preference thing, but I will say that a few of my family members that had this specifically commented that they liked the frosting because it tasted lighter than regular frosting and not as sweet. So I hope that helps!
I’m so glad I read the reviews. All my cake pans 1 1/2 ” so I put the batter in 9 inch pans and it worked out. I couldn’t find malted milk powder and substituted with Ovaltine. Lyle’s golden syrup was unavailable so I used corn syrup. After all that, the cake was delicious!
HeHello:
I made the malted milk ball cake. I can’t wait to taste it but I have to wait as it is a birthday cake. I love your site always great recipes. I did have to order the Lyles golden syrup although I looked all over Pittsburgh…I just couldn’t find it. Hopefully with the wait. Anyway the baking times, I realize everyone’s ovens are different but I set my timer for 30 minutes ( my usual time for cakes) & it was actually a little over done. 45 minutes would have ruined the cake. Meanwhile it looks just like the picture. Thanks again for keeping us in amazing recipes…m
This malted chocolate cake is the perfect treat for the spring. If you don’t want to use the malted vanilla frosting, you can ice it with anything you want. You can also use candy pieces or candy sprinkles to decorate it after you ice it.
Buttermilk biscuits are a great complement to any meal. These are light and buttery and incredibly easy to make! Biscuits are also great when topped with butter or gravy, and also make delicious snacks.
I am baking this cake at this very moment and have run into a bit of a snag. The batter has completely baked up and over the sides of my 8 inch rounds. How deep are your pans? Mine are the standard 1.5 inch. I’m going to let it finish baking to see if I can salvage it. If that fails, I’m going to start over and use three rounds instead of two. Argh!
Hi Kacy, I’m so sorry to hear that! However, all of my cake pans are 2 inches high – I think that’s standard? I always see pans listed as 8×2 or 9×2.
I made this cake for Easter dinner. The flavors are wonderful. The cake is not too sweet, and the frosting is amazing. The cake turned out a bit dry, though. Perhaps I left it in the oven too long.
Easter dessert is planned! Thanks!
Oh yum! What a decadent & moist looking cake!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Wow! Michelle, this is such a glorious looking cake. Love that there is malt in every layer!
found this recipe –
Substitute for Lyle’s Golden Syrup
Put 1/4 cup sugar in a small heavy saucepan
and shake pan so the sugar is in an even layer.
Sprinkle it with 1/2 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp water.
Cook over low heat, without stirring, for 5 minutes.
Increase heat to medium and cook until syrup has taken on a
light caramel colour, 5 to 6 minutes.
Immediately remove from heat and pour in 1/3 cup light corn syrup.
Do not stir, but let it bubble for 2 to 3 minutes.
When the bubbling stops, stir well.
It can be stored at room temperature for several months.
Oh my gosh this sounds amazing! I don’t even celebrate Easter but I think I’ll still have to make this :)
My birthday is Saturday. I’m officially changing my birthday cake from German chocolate to this.
Do you think I could sub bitter or semisweet chocolate for the white chocolate in the frosting? I’m not a fan of white chocolate. I just want to make sure I sub sweetness properly, because white chocolate is sweetened.
Hi Lisa, I think that would work just fine.
Wow! I want to make this for my birthday this year. I’m wondering if you could use something like these babies, (https://nuts.com/chocolatessweets/malted-milk-balls/classic.html) instead of whoppers? They’re bigger though. They also have flavored ones: https://nuts.com/chocolatessweets/malted-milk-balls/ultimate.html Also, do you absolutely have to make layers? Could you use a 9/13 or a sheet cake pan instead? Thanks!
Hi Noelle, I think the larger ones would work fine, since you have to crush them anyway. I think a 9×13 or half sheet would work (it would be pretty thin on a half sheet, I think).
Wow, this is such a stunning Easter cake, pinning and sharing! It’s so beautiful!
Amazing! I am waiting for my flight home from Canada, and in my suitcase are 4 Giant bags of Maltesers, which, although I like Whoppers, I LOVE Maltesers. They are the British version of Whoppers, and are delicious and light. I am going to make this for Easter and use the Maltese’s. Thanks for another great recipe idea! Happy Easter to Jacob and the “boys”.
what is Lyle’s golden syrup???
cake looks divine:) I must make it:)
Hi Nellie, Lyle’s Golden Syrup is a sugar syrup that falls between honey and molasses in terms of color and flavor. I buy it at my local grocery store in the British section of the international foods aisle. However, you can also order it from King Arthur Flour or Amazon.
This cake looks amazing! My husband and his father LOVE malt balls! I can’t wait to make this for them.
I do have a question, though. I have never heard of Lyle’s Golden Syrup. If I can’t find it or am not able to order it on Amazing are there any substitutions?
Thanks,
Jessi
Hi Jessi, I buy Lyle’s Golden Syrup at my local grocery store in the British section of the international foods aisle. However, you can also order it from King Arthur Flour or Amazon.
My goodness, that’s amazing! That frosting… Yumm… I’m droooling! I love white chocolate and this looks so delicious!
I love it, it’s perfect!
Also because the recipe is in g and ml so I don’t have to convert it. Thank you!
Thank you! This looks like a great addition to our Easter weekend. Do you think of it would work for cupcakes as well?
Hi Gabe, I have not tried this particular cake recipe as cupcakes, so I can’t say for sure how they would turn out.
I don’t think I have ever wanted a cake so badly! Those speckled eggs are awesome and I LOVE the chocolate malt flavor. This looks amazing!