I've been meaning to try this recipe every since I saw it on Lily's website. I decided to make this cake for Aunt L's birthday which falls on the 31st of March but Hubby's grandma was here and wanted to celebrate her birthday with her so we had a get together at our place the Saturday before her real birthday and I had the opportunity to make this cake.
Ingredients:
Cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 large egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds (about 4 ounces)
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped Chocolate
Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream/unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted (i used Godiva Chocolates)
Method:
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F convention or 325 f convection.
Two 9-inch round cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper round.
Melt 3/4 cup butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until light brown, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.
Meanwhile, sift flour, cocoa, and salt into medium bowl.
Whisk egg whites in large bowl until foamy, then add sugar; whisk at medium speed. Whisk in corn syrup and vanilla and continue to whisk until soft peak.
Add flour mixture; whisk just to blend.
Add ground almonds; whisk just to blend.
Using whisk, put in some of the batter above and fold in browned butter, then chopped chocolate. Add this to all the batter and fold in to blend.
Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops.
Bake cakes until firm to touch and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 - 20 minutes.
Cool cakes on rack 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off paper. Cool completely.
For chocolate ganache:
Place chocolate in small metal bowl.
Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth.
Add butter, 1 piece at a time, gently whisking to blend between additions, adding as little air as possible.
Transfer 2/3 cup ganache to heatproof 1-cup measure with spout.
Place bowl with remaining ganache over bowl of ice water. Stir until semi-firm and thick enough to spread. Set aside for filling.
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Place rack on sheet.
Place 1 cake, flat side down, on rack.
Strain apricot jam into small skillet; bring to boil.
Spoon warm jam over cake, spreading evenly almost to edge.
Let cool 5 minutes.
Drop filling by teaspoonfuls all over cake, then spread in even layer.
Place second cake atop filling, bottom side up.
If glaze is too firm to pour, rewarm in microwave at low power in 15-second increments until pourable.
Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides and using offset spatula to spread glaze evenly over sides of cake.
Chill cake 2 hours.
Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead.
Cover with cake dome; keep chilled.
Arrange sliced almonds/chocolates atop cake.
Cake
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 large egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds (about 4 ounces)
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped Chocolate
Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream/unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted (i used Godiva Chocolates)
Method:
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F convention or 325 f convection.
Two 9-inch round cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper round.
Melt 3/4 cup butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until light brown, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.
Meanwhile, sift flour, cocoa, and salt into medium bowl.
Whisk egg whites in large bowl until foamy, then add sugar; whisk at medium speed. Whisk in corn syrup and vanilla and continue to whisk until soft peak.
Add flour mixture; whisk just to blend.
Add ground almonds; whisk just to blend.
Using whisk, put in some of the batter above and fold in browned butter, then chopped chocolate. Add this to all the batter and fold in to blend.
Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops.
Bake cakes until firm to touch and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 - 20 minutes.
Cool cakes on rack 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off paper. Cool completely.
For chocolate ganache:
Place chocolate in small metal bowl.
Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth.
Add butter, 1 piece at a time, gently whisking to blend between additions, adding as little air as possible.
Transfer 2/3 cup ganache to heatproof 1-cup measure with spout.
Place bowl with remaining ganache over bowl of ice water. Stir until semi-firm and thick enough to spread. Set aside for filling.
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Place rack on sheet.
Place 1 cake, flat side down, on rack.
Strain apricot jam into small skillet; bring to boil.
Spoon warm jam over cake, spreading evenly almost to edge.
Let cool 5 minutes.
Drop filling by teaspoonfuls all over cake, then spread in even layer.
Place second cake atop filling, bottom side up.
If glaze is too firm to pour, rewarm in microwave at low power in 15-second increments until pourable.
Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides and using offset spatula to spread glaze evenly over sides of cake.
Chill cake 2 hours.
Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead.
Cover with cake dome; keep chilled.
Arrange sliced almonds/chocolates atop cake.
My cake came out really different from Lily's and I still needs to have a lot more practice to decorate the cake. I did not make three layer cake because I didn't think that I had enough dough therefor my cake is much shorter than hers. I decorated my cake with Strawberries because I thought it would be easier and that's what I had. Uncle Richie bought some Vanilla ice cream and we all had it with ice cream. It was really yummy and I would try and make it again. The only thing I'll do different is to make sure I chopped the chocolate really fine because I had a couple of big chunks in the cake which made it difficult to bite for the elder people. I was lazy and I chopped my almond and chocolate together (mistake #1). I just have to learn to follow direction more instead of just doing it my own way but no harm done at least it didn't taste bad after all.
Here I would like to wish dear Aunt L a very Happy Birthday and we are really happy that we got the opportunity to celebrate your birthday with you. Thank you for bringing joy and happiness into every one's life. We love you..xoxo (I know is late but better late than never)
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