Devil's Food Cake Recipe

Yield: 12 servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups (440 g) sugar

½ cup + 2 tablespoons (140 g) butter, softened

3 eggs, separated

2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour

7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup boiling water

1 cup sour cream

Ingredients for frosting:

3 cups (660 g) white sugar

1 cup water

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

4 egg whites

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C) and grease two 9 in (23 cm) cake tins.
• Put cocoa in small bowl; add boiling water and mix until smooth. Let cool.
• Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for approximately 5 minutes. Add egg yolks and mix well.
• Sift in flour, baking powder and baking soda, add cocoa mixture, sour cream, and vanilla extract and mix well.
• Whisk egg whites until stiff and fold gently into the cake mixture. Divide into two equal portions and transfer to the cake tins.
• Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 40-50 minutes. Let the cakes cool.
• Slice each cake through the middle to make altogether four layers; if necessary remove the top of the cake by using a knife.
• For the frosting, combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Cook until candy thermometer reaches 242 degrees F (115 degrees C) or until a teaspoon of mixture dropped into cold water forms a ball when removed from water. Add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt to the egg white, and beat them until stiff. Add hot syrup in a slow stream, beating constantly. Stir in vanilla. Use approximately one fifth of the frosting between each layer of the cake, coat the cake with the remaining two fifths of the frosting.
• Cool the cake in the fridge. Place the cake at room temperature 1-2 hours before it is served.

Source: http://www.cacaoweb.net/devilsfoodcake.html

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Silky Chocolate Glaze Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

6 1-ounce squares coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

For Glaze:

2 1-ounce squares coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate squares

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoon milk OR light coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoons Agave syrup OR honey

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350°F

• Spray a 7-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. If you don't have a tart pan, use a 6 to 7-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray the paper.

• Melt 6 ounces of chopped chocolate and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.
• Add sugar and salt and reduce heat to low. Cook while stirring for about one minute, until sugar starts to dissolve.
• Remove pan from heat. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. The mixture will look smooth and glossy.
• Use a mesh hand sieve to sift cocoa into mixture. This prevents lumps. Whisk until the cake batter is smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes. The center of the cake should be just firm to the touch, but be careful to not overbake the cake or it will be dry.
• Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake on a plate.
• To prepare the glaze, melt 2 ounces of chopped chocolate and 1 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in the same saucepan you used to make the cake. When melted and smooth, remove the pan from heat. Add milk and Agave syrup OR honey and vanilla and stir until smooth and glossy. Let the glaze cool for about 3 minutes before pouring it on the cake.
• Pour all of the glaze in the middle of the cake. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to spread the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing the glaze to evenly run down the sides of the cake.

Serves 6

Source: http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/dessertsandsweets/r/flourlessgfcake.htm