Gateaux Jos Louis (joe Louis Cakes)

VANILLA FILLING
2 Egg whites 2 tb -Water
1/2 c Sugar, granulated 1 ts Vanilla
1 pn -Salt

CHOCOLATE ICING
2 tb Butter 1/2 ts Vanilla
2 tb Cocoa powder;unsweetened 1/2 c Icing (Confectioner’s) sugar
2 tb Light cream; up to 3 T -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 350F 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.