looking for a recipe

Thanks all. I think hardlinearmour's link seems to be the closest thus far. May try that out if nothing else surfaces.

Chocolat pastique and chocolat fondant could certainly be "draped" (rather than poured) as you describe, but neither is going to as tender as you also describe.

although, on second look at the finished product, perhaps this is how that texture and look was achieved...

The cake sounds like an American riff on a Black Forest Kirschtorte--and the chocolate shell recalls those ice cream bars that we got at school lunches in the 1960s. Did you try googling chocolate shell to see if anything turned up?

Well thanks for all the responses. The mirror glaze sounds the closest to what I'm describing, and it may do the trick, though I don't think it's what I'm remembering. In the case of the cake in question, it was as though the top chocolate layer had been draped over the cake (like fondant would be, but it was definitely not fondant) rather than poured over.

I'm conjuring visions of a variation on a Black Forest Cake married to a Sacher Torte. The latter is covered with a dark chocolate glaze that is poured over it. To prepare the milk chocolate version you remember so well, melt together over a bain marie: 1.25 pounds milk chocolate and 5 tablespoons cocoa powder. Remove from the heat and stir in 5 ounces of soft (very soft, but NOT melted) unsalted butter. Use a spatula, not a whisk, as you don't want to incorporate air bubbles which would mar the surface after it is poured onto the cake. Add 2 ounces of rum and 9 ounces of light corn syrup and stir to blend them in completely. Finally, set your cake on a raised rack set on a baking sheet. Pour the glaze over your cake, letting the excess run down into the baking sheet. Once the glaze has finished dripping, transfer the cake to a serving platter and refrigerate it. Scrape up the glaze from the baking sheet, and transfer all remaining glaze to a freezer container. It freezes beautifully, and you'll have more for the next time you're moved to make a beautiful cake.

It sounds like a German cake to me, from what you are describing,and I know that back in time there used to be something like a marzipan chocolate in Europe, which had a more plastic texture than regular chocolate. I don't know how it is made though.

Maybe a milk chocolate version of "Mirror Glaze" will work. If I remember correctly it stays pliable (but it's been quite awhile since I've had this dessert, so no guarantees). http://mrjeffmccarthy.com/2008/10/15/dessert-of-the-year/

definately wasn't fondant, tasted like milk chocolate, almost like the taste of a chocolate shell but pliable.

I think it's ganache too. Given the correct ratio of cream to chocolate, it can be pliable after it sets. Unfortunately, I don't have that magic ratio for you. Sorry.

It may also have been a ganache - is that possible?

It sounds like chocolate plastique or fondant. You can buy fondant or make your own. Maybe Cynthia (boulangere) will weigh in she gave me a recipe for chocolate plastique, you can also google it and see recipes.