Woolworth’s Dobash cake exemplifies isle creation

We call ours Dobash cake; they call theirs Dobos torte. They are similar in name only.

A Dobos, a 19th-century creation credited to Hungarian baker Jozsef Dobos, is many-layered and many-flavored, a vanilla sponge cake with raspberry and chocolate buttercream frosting between the very thin layers, caramel over all and nuts sprinkled around. It is considered the torte from which all other tortes sprung.

A Dobash has two layers and one flavor: chocolate. Well, some recipes call for four layers, for ambitious bakers.

Katie on Kauai wrote for a traditional Dobash recipe for her husband, who said the recipe she had tried wasn’t quite right. She also asked about the Dobash-Dobos connection.

For the first part of her request, I offer a recipe from "What Hawaii Likes to Eat,"a cookbook I wrote with Muriel Miura in 2007 (Mutual Publishing). Muriel came up with it for a chapter we called "Unforgettable," comprising old favorites from old restaurants. She got it from the baker at Woolworth’s in the 1960s, which is when she remembers Dobash cakes first showed up locally.

As for the second part of Katie’s request, I have only found speculation connecting the two cakes based on the names. Except for the general link of butter, flour and sugar, they have little in common. The Dobash is also very local, uncommon outside Hawaii.

I also can’t promise that this is the cake of Katie’s husband’s memories. But it is a great one. Muriel describes it as a basic chocolate chiffon with a puddinglike frosting, which undersells its qualities. This cake bakes up light and springy; the frosting is soft, silky and smooth. The only critique I got on my test cake was that it needed more frosting between the layers. Easily solved.

Many local community cookbooks offer a simplified Dobash recipe made with a boxed cake mix and a can of lemon-lime soda. I can’t speak for those. But this Woolworth’s cake will match or exceed whatever you’ve been getting at a bakery.

WOOLWORTH’S CHOCOLATE DOBASH CAKE

3 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1-1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk, divided
>> Frosting:
2 cups water, divided 
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round layer pans. Line bottom of pans with baking parchment if desired.

Beat egg whites until frothy; gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. 

Sift together remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Make a well in center; add oil and half of milk. Beat with mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Add remaining milk and egg yolks; beat until smooth. Fold into egg white mixture. Pour into prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes until a pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool slightly, then remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on wire rack. Save any cake crumbs.

To make frosting: In saucepan, combine 1 cup water, sugar, salt and butter, and bring to boil. Combine cocoa powder with cornstarch; add remaining 1 cup water and stir until smooth (do not rush this step or frosting will be lumpy). Add to boiling mixture, stirring constantly, and bring to simmer. Keep stirring until mixture thickens. Let cool completely.

Frost generously between layers, top and sides. Sprinkle edges with cake crumbs. 

Nutritional information unavailable.  

Write "By Request," Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.