Gateaux Jos Louis (Joe Louis Cakes)
CAKE
1/2 c Butter
1/2 c Sugar, granulated
2 Eggs; beaten
1 c Milk
1 tablespoon White vinegar
1 teaspoon Baking soda
2 c Flour;all purpose
1 ts Baking powder
1/4 c Cocoa powder;unsweetened
1/2 ts -Salt
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
VANILLA FILLING
2 Egg whites
1/2 c Sugar, granulated
1 pn Salt
2 tb Water
1 ts Vanilla
CHOCOLATE ICING
2 tb Butter
2 tb Cocoa powder;unsweetened
2 tb Light cream; up to 3 T
1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Icing (Confectioner’s) sugar approximate
Gateaux Jos. Louis
Home-made versions of this best selling commercial snacking cake turn up in recipe collections throughout the Beauce. A product of the giant Vachon bakery at St. Marie, it was launched by founder-bakers Arcade and Rose-Anna Vachon who named it for their eldest two sons Joseph and Louis and not, as some believe , after the heavyweight boxing champion, Joe Louis.
Home recipes use a drop-cookie method and sometimes a marshmallow filling. The baking cake is made automatically with a diameter of 3 1/2 inches (9 cm). To achieve a
symmetrical look and a light texture, I adapted a recipe belonging to Mariette Scully Bourque of Notre Dame des Pins to the muffin tin.
CAKE: Grease 12 medium muffin tins or 24 small ones. In a large bowl, cream
butter and sugar together until fluffy. Measure milk into a 1 cup measure
and stir in vinegar, then baking soda. In another bowl, sift or mix together
flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Combine dry ingredients with
butter mixture with milk; stir in vanilla. Fill prepared muffin tins half
full of batter.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes or until a tester
inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Turn out
onto rack and cool completely.
VANILLA FILLING: In top of a double boiler, set over boiling water, combine
egg whites, granulated sugar, salt and water. With an electric mixer, beat
until stiff and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and beat in
vanilla.
Chocolate Icing: Cream soft butter with cocoa powder. Blend in cream and
vanilla. Stir in sifted icing (confectioner’s) sugar until icing is of
spreading consistency.
Slice cakes in half horizontally. Fill with Vanilla Filling and spread tops
and sides with Chocolate Icing.
Makes:about 12 Medium or 24 Small Muffin Sized Cakes