Drunken Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Star Desserts by Emily Luchetto

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 ounces (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
2/3 cup dark rum
4 large eggs, separated
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
Pinch salt

For Serving:
Confectioner’s Sugar, just enough to dust
Whipped Cream (optional, see recipe below)
Fresh Berries (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch-round springform cake pan.

2. Combine the chocolate, butter, and rum in the top half of a double boiler over gently boiling water. When all is melted, set it aside to cool to lukewarm.

3. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat at high speed for about 3 minutes until thick. Decrease the speed to medium-low and beat in the chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour and salt.

4. Put the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl. With a clean whisk, whip them on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff. Fold a third of the egg whites into the chocolate batter. When they are almost completely incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set pan on wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour.

6. To serve, unmold the cake and set on serving platter. Dust with confectioner’s sugar using a fine sieve (place sugar in sieve and gently tap/shake). Cut with a hot dry knife (dip the knife in hot water and then dry off).

Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Put whipping cream in bowl of electric mixer. Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until cream holds peaks.