Depanneur-Style Cream Cakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. To make cakes, sift together flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together 1/2 cup reduced-calorie margarine and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar until creamy; beat in egg substitute. In a small bowl, combine milk, vinegar, baking soda and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
4. Add half of flour mixture to margarine mixture; mix. Add milk mixture and then remaining flour mixture. Mix until smooth and creamy. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, to make filling, combine egg whites, remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, water, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl and place bowl over boiling water (or use a double boiler). Using a hand-held mixer, beat egg whites until stiff and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. To make icing, combine remaining 2 tablespoons each of margarine and cocoa, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl; beat until smooth and creamy. Sift powdered sugar over bowl and stir with a spatula until thick and spreadable.
7. Slice cakes in half horizontally. Spread each with vanilla filling and cover each with top half of cake. Spread icing over top of cakes and serve. Yields 1 cake per serving.