National Chocolate Cake Day

The best part of my Thursday was finding out it's National Chocolate Cake Day.

But what great person decided January 27th was National Cake Day and how long has January 27th been National Cake Day? I've scoured the Web and can't find these answers. I mean even a Baltimore Sun staff blogger couldn't find the origin...

I guess I'll have to get my history-fill with some interesting moments in chocolate's history:

• The name chocolate comes from the Aztec word xocoatl, - a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans
• The Latin name for the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, means "Food of the Gods"
• In the 17th Century chocolate was a fashionable drink for the elite believed to have health and aphrodisiac qualities
• In 1847 Joseph Fry created the first "modern" chocolate bar

Read more at SmithsonianMag.com: A brief history chocolate

To celebrate this momentous day, I'm posting a recipe for the most delicious Flourless Chocolate...Torte (but we'll just call it a cake today). A Torte is a cake. Tortes have certain characteristics that can set it apart from other "cakes". Some of the least controversial of these characteristics are tortes often use an ingredient to act in place of flour, like ground nuts or bread crumbs. Tortes are often denser and shorter (because of the flour substitute that is used).

I made this cake about a year ago, it is a bit unrefined looking. The chocolate glaze cooled before I could smooth it out with a metal cake spatula or wide knife, but it tasted....perfect to me!

*Disclaimer: This is one of those recipes that takes hours (because of all of the time needed to cool the cake a few times). Otherwise, it's not too tricky- I promise!

Flourless Chocolate Torte Cake 
The William-Sonoma Baking Book (2009)

...isn't flourless chocolate torte a bit redundant?

Important Kitchen Tools

• metal cake spatula or wide-knife
• double boiler or make-shift double boiler
• parchment paper
• beaters
• 8 (or 9)-inch cake pan

Cake Ingredients

• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder for dusting (my new favorite, affordable one is Wondercocoa)
• 10 oz Bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped- be sure to use good quality chocolate
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4cup sugar
• and 2 tbsp sugar (keep separate)
• 1 tbsp brewed espresso (or rum, either are optional- but it really enhances the flavor of the chocolate)
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper, grease the paper and sides of pan and dust with cocoa powder (to prevent from sticking).

Over simmering water in a double-boiler, combine the chocolate and butter. Whisk until melted and blended. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, espresso (or rum), vanilla and salt until pale and thick.

Gradually pour in the chocolate mixture and continue beating until well blended.

In a deep, clean bowl using clean beaters, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar and continue to beat until medium-stiff peaks form (kind-of floppy peaks).

Using a silicone spatula, scoop the egg whites onto the chocolate mixture and fold them in gently, until no streaks remain.

Pour the batter in the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake until the cake puffs slightly and a toothpick comes out moist but not  liquid, about 35 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes in a wire rack.

Rub a knife around the inside edges of the pan to loosen, then invert onto a wire rack. Carefully peel off the parchment. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until very cold. at least 4 hours-overnight.

Chocolate Glaze

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 8 oz chopped, bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp light corn starch

Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler, same as above.Remove from heat and whisk in corn starch until smooth and glossy.

Set the cold cake on a wire rack over a large plate or baking sheet (to catch all the glaze run-off). Slowly poor the warm glaze over the center of the cake. The glaze should cover the surface evenly, running down all sides evenly. * Be sure to have that metal cake spatula or wide knife handy to smooth out!

Refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours). To cut the cake, dip the knife in hot water and wipe dry before each cut.

Cheers to National Chocolate Cake Day!

Yum Wondercocoa- also delicious in coffee