Reine de Saba Avec Glacage Au Chocolat/ Chocolate Almond Cake

                                                Happy Independence Day India

Few days back i got a mail from Swathi asking whether am interested to join a new baking group called Baking Partners, baking the word itself makes me happy and i didnt even hesitated a second and send a reply mail saying that am very much interested. As i told earlier baking makes me happy and its a kind of therapy for me to keep away myself from my stress, obviously this baking group goes for many more food bloggers who joined with more motivation to share their ideas and their baking skills with others,this is wat i need too. Coz eventhough i bake quite often, am still want to know more about baking and frosting and all.

This Reine de saba avec glacage au chocolat was choosed by Swathi for our first post as a tribute to Julia child, a famous celebrity cook on her 100th birthday. This cake came out excellent with a fabulous coffee and chocolate icing, my daughter helped me a lot while making this cake. She had loads of fun while doing the frosting and she decorated the cake by herself simply with sugar pearls and few almond slices.

113 grs Plain chocolate melted with 2 tablespoons coffee
113grs Butter
1cup Sugar
3nos Eggs (separated)
pinch of salt
1tbsp Caster sugar (for sprinkling on egg whites)
1/3cup Grounded almond
1/2 tsp Almond extract
1/2cup Cake flour (you can also use all purpose flour)

Chocolate Icing:
1/4cup Semi sweet chocolate
2tbsp Coffee
100grs Butter

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350f. Butter and flour an 8 inch cake pan. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate with the 2 tablespoons of coffee in a double boiler. Let cool.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks until well blended.

Bthe egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed, sprinkle on the 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.

With a rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the almonds and almond extract.

Fold in one-quarter of the egg whites. When partially blended, sift on one-quarter of the flour, and continue folding, alternating with more egg whites and more flour until all is used.

Turn the mixture into the cake tin, pushing the mixture up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in the middle of pre heated oven for about 20-25 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2.5 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a needle plunged into tha area comes out clean, the centre should move slightly if the tin is shaken,and a needle comes out oily.

Allow cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the tin, and reverse cake on the rack. Allow it to cool for an hour or two, it must be thoroughly cold to start the icing.

For Icing:

Stir the chocolate and coffee in the saucepan over hot water until chocolate has melted into a very smooth cream.

 Remove the saucepan from hot water, and beat the butter into the chocolate, a tablespoon at a time. Then beat over cold water until the chocolate mixture is cool and suits prefect to spread.

At once spread it over your cake with the spatula or knife.

Notes:
My cake is done after 20 minutes, i used a heart shaped 8inch cake mould.
Use good quality of chocolate for making this cake.
I used cornflour and all purpose flour instead of cake flour,this works wonder.
Cake tastes absolutely awesome if they are served chilled.
If you are coffee and chocolate lover, this cake will definitely makes you happy.
I used toasted almonds for grounded almond meal.
The original recipe goes for both rum and coffee, but i used strong brewed coffee in this cake.If you want to go for rum you can do it very well.

Dont forget to try this cake, its quite easy and tastes absolutely divine.