Chocolate Triumph Of Gluttony Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
• Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
• Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don't think you have missed something; this is how it should be.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don't worry, this is expected. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.
• Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor, process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
• Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it's not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.)
• Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
• Use the first set of ingredients to make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.
• Split the layers of cooled cake horizontally, cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake.

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the yolks with the vanilla extract. Whisk in half the sugar and continue to beat until very light and frothy, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the flour and cornstarch and sift once to aerate. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a very soft peak.
• Beating faster, add the remaining sugar in a very slow stream, beating until the egg whites hold a firm peak.
• Fold the yolks into the whites.
• Sift the flour and cornstarch over the eggs in 3 additions, folding them in gradually.
• Do not over-mix the batter.
• Pour the batter into a buttered and paper-lined 9- or 10-inch round pan, 2-inches deep and smooth the top.
• Bake the Pan di Spagna at 350 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes, until it is well risen and feels firm when pressed gently with the palm of the hand.
• Immediately loosen the layer from the side of the pan with a small knife or spatula.
• Invert the layer and leave the paper stuck to it. Turn the layer right side up and cool it on a rack.
• Double-wrap the layer in plastic and keep it in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze it. Variations: Flavor the batter with a grated orange or lemon zest or a tablespoon of Anisette.
• For the chocolate filling, bring the cream to a boil and remove the heat.
• Add finely cut chocolate, stir once and let stand for 3 minutes.
• Whisk smooth, pour into a bowl and cool until set, several hours at a cool room temperature.
• Set aside.
• For the syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil in a small pan.
• Cool and stir in Maraschino.
• For the pistachios, place in a pan and cover with water.
• Bring to a boil, drain and rub in a towel to loosen skins.
• Go over pistachios to separate from skins.
• Place pistachios on a jelly roll pan and dry out at 325 degrees about 5 minutes.
• Cool and chop coarsely.
• To prepare the layers, cut the Pan di Spagna into 5 thin horizontal slices.
• Reserve 2 of the slices, then cut the other slices into smaller disks, each 1-inch smaller in diameter then the reserved 2, to make a 9, 8-, and 7-inch disk.
• Reserve scraps.
• To finish the filling, beat the butter by machine until soft and light, then beat in the cooled chocolate mixture all at once. Beat again until light, then beat in the Maraschino.
• Stir in half of the chopped pistachios.
• To assemble, place one of the 10-inch layers on a platter or cardboard and moisten with the syrup.
• Spread the filling.
• Continue with the remaining layers.
• After spreading the 7-inch layer with the filling, form a 6-inch layer with the scraps on top of it.
• Moisten the 6-inch layer and spread the entire outside of the cake with the filling.
• Cut a slash from the center to the edge of the reserved 10-inch layer and cover the entire outside of the cake with it.
• Moisten with the remaining syrup and spread with the remaining filling.
• Press the reserved pistachios all over the outside of the cake.
• Dust lightly with the confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Position the oven rack in lower center of the oven. Cover the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with a double layer of foil. Using a microwave oven or double boiler, melt together chocolate and butter; set aside to cool slightly.
• In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until pale, frothy and increased in volume. Whisk in brandy, then fold in chocolate mixture. Place a kettle of water over heat, and bring it to a boil. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and salt until thick. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and continue to whisk until stiff and shiny but not dry.
• Fold about 1/2 cup whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in remaining whites, being careful not to let the mixture deflate. Pour mixture into lightly-buttered springform pan, and place pan in a roasting pan. Add boiling water to roasting pan to come halfway up side of springform pan. Bake for 45 minutes; top of cake will be hard and inside will be gooey.
• Remove cake pan from water, and place on a rack to cool completely. Unwrap foil and remove side of springform pan. Place cake on a serving platter. Just before serving, dust top with confectioners' sugar passed through a sieve.