Cake:
1/4 c Unsweetened cocoa
1 c Sugar; +3 tb
3 tb Water
1/2 c Milk
1/2 c Unsalted butter; room temperature
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 Eggs; separated
1 c All purpose flour
1/2 ts Cream of tartar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Baking soda
Frosting:
2 oz Unsweetened chocolate;
- chopped
1 1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Milk
4 tb Unsalted butter
1 tb Light corn syrup
1/3 ts Salt
1 ts Vanilla extract
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and lightly flour two 8" round cake
pans. Place the cocoa, 3 tb of sugar and the water in a small pan
and cook over low heat until smooth and blended. Remove from the
heat and stir in the milk; set aside.
Cream the butter, add the vanilla and 1/2 cup of sugar and beat
until light. Beat in the yolks and gradually add the cocoa mixture.
Mix well. Mix the flour, cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda,
add to the first mixture and blend until just smooth.
Beat the egg whites until foamy. Slowly add the remaining sugar and
beat until the whites are stiff but not dry. Fold the whites into
the batter. Spread the batter into the prepared pans and bake until
a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 to
30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto
wire racks.
Frosting:
Stir together all the ingredients except the vanilla. Bring to a
rolling boil and cook, stirring vigorously for 1 minute. Let cool
completely. Add the vanilla and beat until thick. Frost the cake.
Recipe by Molly O'Neill in the NY Times Magazine, 2/12/95
Adapted from "The Fanny Farmer Cookbook" by Marion Cunningham,
Alfred A, Knopf, 1990
