Perhaps the most popular delicacy at ST Cafe is the Lake Highlands Rock Cake. The decadent chocolate confection is a big favorite with both diners and bakery take-out customers.

“It all started from a special request for a birthday cake,” says Clare Van Loenen, who with her husband, Hans, opened the cafe and bakery seven years ago..

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“The man was a mountain climber, so they wanted a cake with a mountain on top and a mountaineer. The night of the party, everyone raved about it, so we thought, OK, maybe we can make a smaller version and sell it at our bakery.”

That’s how the mountain became a rock, and Lake Highlands received its own signature cake.

LAKE HIGHLANDS ROCK CAKE

For Chocolate Sponge:

½ heaping c. flour

2 T. cocoa

4 large eggs

½ c. sugar

4 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease 9-inch round cake tin. Sift together the flour and cocoa, and set aside. Using wire whisk, mix eggs and sugar in a bowl set over a pan of hot water. Continue whisking until the mixture is light and creamy. Remove from heat and whisk until cold. Gently fold the flour-cocoa mixture into egg mixture, then fold in melted butter. Pour batter into prepared cake tin. Bake 30 minutes or until middle springs back when touched.

For Chocolate Meringue:

4 egg whites

1 T. cocoa

1 & ½ c. sugar (divided use)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. By hand or mixer, beat egg whites until foamy, add 1 cup of sugar gradually and continue beating until egg whites are very stiff. Sift remaining 1/3 cup sugar and cocoa together. Fold into the meringue mixture by hand. Spread onto cookie sheet. Bake until puffy, turn off oven and leave overnight.

For Rum Syrup:

1 c. water

2 c. sugar

1 T. rum or to taste

In saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Let boil 3 minutes. Leave until cold, and add rum.

For Chocolate Mousse:

¾ c. butter

6 oz. semisweet chocolate

6 T. cocoa, sifted

4 egg yolks

1 ½ c. powdered sugar

1 PT cream

In top of a double boiler or over a hot water bath, melt butter and chocolate. Whisk to blend, then whisk in the cocoa powder. In a bowl, whisk yolks and powdered sugar until smooth. Pour the butter-chocolate mixture into the bowl and mix well, then gently fold in the whipping cream.

For assembly:

Use plastic wrap to line a 9-inch sponge tin with sides 2 inches high. Cut sponge horizontally into 2 pieces. Put one in the bottom of the tin, and soak with rum syrup. Pour half of chocolate mousse over sponge, and then top with another layer of sponge and remaining rum syrup. Top with remaining mousse, cover and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, break the meringue chunks and place them on sides and top of cake. Dust with powdered sugar.