Chocolate Almond Birthday Cake "Reine De Saba" - Casserole Queens

This is a really good cake recipe. It's not a cocktail but Rum is optional! It calls for 2 tablespoons of Rum, but honestly, I'd douse it with 3-4 ounces of Rum. LMAO.



Recipe
Reine de Saba
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons dark rum or 2 tablespoons strong coffee
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for almonds
3 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/3 cup blanched almonds (pulverized in a food processor with 2 tablespoons sugar)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup cake flour
Ganache (recipe below)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Set the oven rack to lower middle level.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate with the rum or coffee. Set aside.
Add the softened butter to a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and cream it till soft and fluffy. Sprinkle in 6 tablespoons of sugar and beat for 1 minute more. Add yolks and beat until well blended. Pour in the reserved melted chocolate, pulverized almond flour, almond extract and mix together. Set aside.
In a clean mixing bowl, set the stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar, salt and continue beating until soft peaks are formed. Gradually beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks are formed.
Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Alternating with scoops of egg whites and sprinkles of cake flour, rapidly and delicately, fold together into the chocolate mixture. Turn batter into a buttered and floured 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pan, tilting it in all directions to distribute evenly. Bake for 25 minutes.
Cake is done when puffed to the top and a toothpick inserted 2 to 3 inches from the edge comes out clean. The center should move slightly when the pan is gently shaken. Remove pan to a rack let cool 15 minutes. Remove onto rack and let cool for 2 hours before adding ganache.

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Ganache
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Scald heavy cream in a saucepot over medium heat. Remove pot from heat and add in chocolate. Let sit for 8 minutes and stir till chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Pour ganache evenly over chocolate cake.


For more info, check out Casserole Queens and The Official Hungry