Copycat Olive Garden Chocolate Lasagna Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Grease three 10-inch springform pans.
• In mixing bowl, stir together sifted cake flour, sugar, Hershey 's Cocoa and baking soda. Add butter and mix well. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
• Pour about 5 cups of the cake batter into each prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes before you remove the cake from the pan, then cool completely on a wire rack.
• To make buttercream filling, combine water and meringue powder; whip at high speed until peaks form. Add 4 cups of sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition at low speed.
• Alternately add shortening and remainder of sugar. Add salt and flavorings; beat at low speed until smooth. Thin out ½ of the frosting with a little extra water. The thinned frosting is used as the filling between layers.
• To assemble the cake, place one 10 inch cake on a large round plate or a large round cake platter. Spread half of the thinned frosting on top, frosting only the top of the cake (not the sides). Sprinkle very lightly with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (There are very few chips on this layer, usually only 1 or 2 per wedge, so sprinkle very, very lightly).
• Place the second cake on top of the first. Frost the top with the remaining thinned frosting. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips. (You can be a bit more generous with this layer).
• Place the third layer on top of the second. Frost the top with all of the butter cream that was NOT thinned. This is a thick layer of frosting so pile it on, and try to get the top as smooth as you can. Sprinkle with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• To serve, cut the cake into wedges, as you would cut a pizza. Using Hershey's chocolate syrup, create a design on your dessert plate. Place the wedge of chocolate lasagna at the 11 o'clock position on your dessert plate with the point facing down, so that you can see some of the syrup design.
• NOTE: The frosting seems more authentic if you let it set up (sit out) for an hour at room temperature. Wrap the sides lightly with foil to keep the cake from drying out as well.

Steps:

• Melt butter with medium heat in heavy 1 quart saucepan.
• Add flour and stir until well blended; cook until frothy.
• Add milk, stirring constantly with wire whisk as mixture comes to a simmer.
• Cook and stir until thickened (3-4 minutes).
• Chill while mixing other ingredients.
• Drain and mince tomatoes and garlic.
• Place other cheese filling ingredients in 3-quart mixing bowl with tomatoes and garlic.
• Add 1-1/2 cups of cooled cream sauce and mix until well blended.
• Refrigerate, reserving 1/2-cup for later use.
• Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.
• Cool under cold water and drain.
• Place 3 lasagna noodles in a 9x13x2 lightly oiled baking dish, overlapping slightly.
• Spread 1-1/2 cups cheese filling over noodles; sprinkle with one cup mozzarella and 1/4-cup fontina cheese.
• Repeat pasta and cheese layering; top with remaining three lasagna noodles.
• Spread 1/2-cup of reserved cream sauce over top and cover lightly with foil.
• Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 1 hour.