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Easter Chocolate Cake Recipe 

 Originally Written: April 11, 2011

By  Hanna Trafford

Chocolate cake has got to be one of family favourites. I have tried a good number of recipes – some better than others. The kind of chocolate cake I don`t care for is the one that is dry and crumbly – and this recipe is not one that turns out like that. Try it ahead of time if you want, just to make sure that when you make it for your Easter desert it turns out beautiful You can easily decorate it to suit your overall Easter decor, using candy eggs, etc. I also like to add strawberries – the combination of chocolate and strawberries never fails!

Ingredients:

  • 6 large eggs, separated
  • 1 cup of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 9 ounces of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup of granulated white sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar

Ganache:

  • 8 ounces of semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon or brandy (optional)

Garnish:

Mini Robin Eggs (candy coated malted milk candy) or other Easter Candy

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place oven rack in the center of the oven.
  2. Lightly coat a 9 x 3 inch (23 x 8 cm) springform pan with melted butter or spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
  3. Separate the eggs while still cold, placing the egg whites in one bowl and the egg yolks in another bowl.
  4. Cover both with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
  5. Meanwhile, melt the butter and chocolate in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.
  6. Place egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer (can also use a hand mixer).
  7. Beat on medium high speed until thick and lemon-coloured, about 3-5 minutes. (The eggs should have tripled in volume, look thick and soft, and when you lift the beater the mixture falls back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.)
  8. Beat in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate mixture.
  9. In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy.
  10. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
  11. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
  12. Using a rubber spatula or whisk, fold a small amount of whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten the batter.
  13. Add the remaining egg whites, folding just until incorporated.
  14. Do not over mix or the batter will deflate.
  15. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
  16. Bake the cake for about 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. (During baking the surface of the cake will form a crust which will collapse when the cake is removed from the oven.)
  17. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. The top of the cake will have become hard with a cracked surface and lots of crumbs.
  18. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to a few days.

Ganache:

  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a stainless steel bowl.
  2. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Bring just to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir until smooth. If desired, add the liqueur.

Assemble:

  1. Remove torte from refrigerator and brush any loose crumbs from the cake.
  2. Place on a wire rack, top of the cake facing down (so now the bottom of the cake is facing up).
  3. Put the wire rack on a baking sheet. In this way if the chocolate ganache drips it will fall on the baking sheet, which makes clean up easier.
  4. Pour the ganache into the center of the cake.
  5. Spread the ganache with a spatula, using big strokes to push the ganache over the sides of the cake, to create an even coating. If there are any bare spots on the sides of cake, cover with ganache. If there is leftover ganache, strain to remove crumbs, and with a hand mixer or whisk, beat until light and fluffy.
  6. Place in a piping bag, fitted with a Wilton 1M open star tip, and pipe rosettes on top of the cake.
  7. Decorate with mini robin eggs or other Easter candy, if desired.
  8. Refrigerate cake.

This cake is best served the next day as it allows the flavours to blend. Cut the cake in small slices with a sharp knife, wiping off the knife after slicing each piece. If you have problems cutting the slices, warm the blade of the knife under hot running water before cutting each slice.

Hope you have enjoyed this recipe – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences – your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated!

Hanna Trafford


Hanna is the mother of two grown sons Dan and Dusan Nedelko, and is also the Grandmother to Jax, Cohen and Mila. She is the lead editor of Mama Knows and is hoping to create an exchange of communications with other grandmothers, mothers and daughters - giving everyone the opportunity to learn and share about everything that is "Mama"

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