Name: Cookies and Cream Barako Cake
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups milk; 3 tbsp instant Kapeng Barako; ½ cup chopped white chocolate; 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 2 ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; ¾ cup unsalted butter; 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar; 3 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla; ½ cup crushed chocolate cookies

1

Heat milk, instant Barako, and white chocolate until melted and combined, set aside, and cool to room temperature.

2

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.

3

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar on med-high until light and fluffy add eggs one at a time and add the vanilla extract.

4

Alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture. And fold in some of the crushed chocolate cookies

5

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan with parchment paper.

6

Bake for about 40mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.

Swiss Meringue White Chocolate Buttercream

7

Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk until combined.

8

Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (approx. 3mins)

9

Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled.

10

Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth. Add melted, cooled white chocolate and whip until smooth.

Assembly

11

Place a layer of white chocolate cake on a round plate or on a cake board. Using an offset or spatula spread white chocolate swiss meringue on top of the first layer of white chocolate cake.

12