Cheese Filled Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Chocolate Cake
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee-flavored liqueur
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
Mint sprigs (optional)

Ricotta Filling
1 cup nonfat ricotta cheese
1/3 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate, grated

Prepare Ricotta Filling. Place in a bowl; cover and chill.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, oil and egg in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until thick and pale (about 5 minutes). Add yogurt and vanilla extract; beat well.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; stir well. Add to egg mixture; beat well. Set batter aside.

Beat 3 egg whites (at room temperature) and cream of tartar at high speed of mixer until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into batter; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.

Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean; let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack.

Using a serrated knife, split cake into thirds horizontally. Brush each of 4 cut sides of cake with 1 tablespoon Kahlua. Place bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving platter; spread with 1 cup Ricotta Filling. Arrange 3/4 cup strawberries over Ricotta Filling, and top with middle cake layer. Spread cake with remaining Ricotta Filling, and arrange remaining strawberries over Ricotta Filling; top with the remaining cake layer. Cover and chill for 24 hours.

To serve, sift confectioners' sugar over top of cake. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

Ricotta Filling: Combine all the ingredients in food processor; process until well-blended. Yield: 2 cups.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 slice

Nutritional info: calories 218 (29% from fat); protein 7.8g; fat 7.1g (sat 3.1g, mono 2.3g, poly 1.3g); carb 30g; fiber 0.7g; cholesterol 31mg; iron 0.9mg; sodium 189mg; calcium 92mg