Kate's Winning-Hearts-And-Minds Cake

Journey 88's Note:

This recipe is from Molly Wizenberg's blog "Orangette" and is her adaptation of a recipe by Trish Deseine. It is essentially a flour-less cake (there is a tablespoon of flour in it so it is not gluten-free). It is so simple and yet so decadently delicious! I have drizzled melted chocolate on top and sprinkled raspberries over this cake but it is so fine all by itself. Ms. Wizenberg suggests waiting a day to eat this and I wish you luck with that!! Never happens at my house!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6-8

Yield: 1.0 cake

• 7 ounces dark chocolate
• 7 ounces unsalted butter, the best you can buy, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, and butter the parchment too. I have also used a 10 inch tart pan with nice results.
2. Finely chop the chocolate (a serrated bread knife does an outstanding job of this) and melt it gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition ( I use my immersion blender and it works very nicely. A hand mixer would work as well) and then add the flour. The batter should be smooth and creamy with no lumps.
3. Pour batter into the buttered cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is shiny and starting to crack just a bit. Then center should not be jiggly. Check on it frequently during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools.
4. Serve in wedges at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.