Reine de Saba Chocolate Cake: Oh, So Good

This French cake is perfect for dessert - takes no time at all to make and literally, AWESOME. Plus, its chocolate, and if chocolate can't brighten up your day, then I really don't know what can.

NOTE: butter, butter, butter a.k.a. the gym will probably become your new best friend. Either that or have a really small piece (though I do find the latter to be impossible).

Ingredients

CAKE

• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons rum or brewed coffee
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 large eggs, separated
• Large pinch salt
• 1/3 cup finely ground almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
• 
  

Chocolate Butter Icing

• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon rum or brewed coffee
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 
  

Preparation

Cake

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Combine chopped chocolate and rum in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over medium saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool melted chocolate, stirring occasionally.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy and pale. Add egg yolks and beat until blended.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and pinch of salt in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff but not dry.
• Fold chocolate mixture, then almonds and almond extract into yolk mixture. Fold in 1/4 of whites to lighten batter. Fold in 1/3 of remaining whites. Sift 1/3 of flour over and fold in. Fold in remaining whites alternately with flour in 2 more additions each. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Push some batter 3/4 inch up sides of pan with rubber spatula (batter will slip down).
• Bake cake until puffed and gently set in center and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides and carefully turn cake out onto rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
  
  

Chocolate Butter Icing

• Combine chocolate and rum in small metal bowl. Set bowl over small saucepan of barely simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Using wooden spoon, beat in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth. Place bowl over medium bowl filled with ice water. Continue to beat until icing is cool and thickened to spreading consistency.
• Place cake on platter. Scrape icing onto top center. Using small offset spatula, spread icing evenly and thinly over top and sides of cake.

Use some almonds to decorate the top of the cake after the icing has hardened a bit - a short time in freezer - ten minutes or so - would do the trick!
Mangia Bene!