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To begin making the Layered Chocolate Cake with Mascarpone Cheese, we will first begin with preheating the oven to 170 C. Grease 2 round cake 8 inch cake tins with butter and flour and keep aside.

To make the Flax meal egg replacer 

1

If your recipe asks for 4 eggs, measure 12 tablespoons of flax meal along with 6 tablespoons of water. Stir well and let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes. This process of resting helps the flax meal mixture develop a gelatinous consistency similar to eggs.

To Make the Batter 

1

Sift the flour, baking powder,salt and cocoa powder and keep aside. I like to double sift this mixture as it makes the cake more lighter.

2

In a large bowl or a bowl of the stand mixer, add in the butter, sugar and beat well until fluffy. Add in one egg at a time (or flaxmeal egg replacer) and beat well.  Gradually add in the yogurt, vanilla extract and the flour in that order and beat well until just combined. You dont have to over beat the chocolate cake batter once you add the flour. Just make sure all the ingredients are well incorporated.

3

Spoon the cake batter into the two greased cake pans and spread the cake batter evenly into the pan. Place the cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 to 45 minutes until when the tester is inserted into the center of the cake, comes out clean.

4

Remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to cool competely. This could take a couple of hours.

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In the mean while, prepare the mascarpone cheese filling only after the cake is cooled.

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To prepare the mascarpone cheese filling; into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl; add in the cheese, sugar and vanilla extract or liquer. Using the whisk attachment or a hand whisk, whisk the cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Set this aside.

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To assemble the Chocolate Layered Cake, cut each cake into half horizontally to make four layers and keep them aside. You can dust away any excess crumbs that stick to the cake when you cut them in layers.

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Next place the bottom half of one of the cakes which has a flat base on the serving platter you wish to serve the cake it. Drizzle 2 teaspoon of the liquer or juice on top if this layer and spread a thin layer of the mascarpone cheese mixture on top.

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Next, place the 2nd layer on top of the first; drizzle the 2 teaspoons of liquer or juice and once again spread a thin layer of the mascarpone cheese mixture on top.

10

Proceed the similar way by stacking one layer over the other and layering it with mascarpone cheese. Once all the layers have been assembled using a palette knife or a butter knife, spread the remaining mascarpone cheese on the sides and top of the cake.

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To decorate the chocolate layered cake you can place slivered almonds on the sides of the cake and dust the top of the cake either with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.

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Serve the Layered Chocolate Cake Recipe with Mascarpone Cheese for birthday parties or special occasions in the family.

This recipe is inspired from one of the books of my favorite author - Donna Hay.