Belated Birthday Chocolate Cake

We left for Colorado, a day before Caroline's Birthday and fifteen days before Henry's. Sorry to miss their celebrations, I promised a Belated Birthday Cake of their choice when they visited us in Colorado. Their choice turned out to be chocolate with chocolate frosting and NOT the "spider cake" I make on Halloween. I had to come up with a new recipe. To the internet. I found a recipe by Mark Bittman and made a cake based on that recipe.

Butter bottom and sides of two 9-inch diameter cake pans. Line with parchment paper and butter paper.

Melt (I use microwave):  

    3 oz dark baking chocolate chunks/chips, stir until smooth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In mixer, cream until smooth:

    8 T room temperature butter

Add gradually:

    1 c sugar

Beat 3-4 minutes then add:

    2 egg yolks, one at a time

    1 t vanilla and the melted chocolate

In a bowl mix:

    9 ounces flour

    2 t baking powder

    1/2 t baking soda

    1/2 t salt [I omit]

Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, a little at a time alternating with:

     1 1/4 c milk, beating until mixture is smooth

Beat, until they hold soft peaks

    2 egg whites

Fold the whites gently into the batter. Divide the batter between the two cake pans.

Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 5 minutes then invert and continue cooling.

FROSTING: While Bittman frosts his cake with whipped cream, I  chose to use a chocolate ganache frosting:

Heat until steaming (I use microwave):

    1 1/2 c whipping cream

In a heat-proof mixer bowl place:

     12 oz. dark chocolate baking chunks/chips 

Add cream and stir until chocolate is melted and well blended.  Cool.

When cool, use mixer to beat until fluffy, gradually adding

    1/2 c powdered sugar

Frost cake, with a generous layer of frosting between layers.

Decorate with rasperries and serve with whipped cream.

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