Difficulty: Average
Make Ahead
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
Cake
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 heaping cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped and sweetened
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 square unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Beat egg whites with salt until stiff but not dry.
- Gradually beat in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, a tablespoon at a time, then fold in the cocoa.
- Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored, and fold into egg whites.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Spread in a well-greased jelly roll pan lined with greased waxed paper.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then turn out on a towel sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
- Very gently peel off the waxed paper, then let cool and cut crosswise into quarters.
- Stack layers together, frosting each with whipped cream.
- Over hot water, melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler.
- Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, salt, water and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
- Beat until smooth and glossy.
- For thicker glaze, decrease the water or add more confectioners’ sugar.
- Spread top layer of cake with glaze and decorate with almonds.
- Chill several hours before serving.