AWARD WINNING CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again.
• Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Refrigerate dough for one hour.
• Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are cracked on top. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place a 9-inch ring in the center
• For the almond sponge cake, mix the egg yolks and butter in a medium bowl with a whisk and set aside
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and gradually add the sugar to make a meringue
• With a rubber spatula, combine the yolk and butter mixture into the meringue, then fold in the almond flour and breadcrumbs
• Pour the cake batter into the 9-inch ring and bake for 30 minutes
• Let the cake cool to room temperature
• Run a paring knife along the inside of the ring to separate the cake
• Remove the ring, place the cake on a plate and cover it with plastic wrap
• Store in the fridge overnight
• For the chocolate cream base, in a large saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer, then turn off the heat
• Add the chocolate and whisk until completely melted and incorporated
• Pour the mixture into an airtight container, let cool a bit, then store it in fridge, covered, overnight
• When you're ready to assemble the cake, use a serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into three layers as evenly as possible
• Pour the chocolate cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix until light in texture
• Do not overmix
• Set one cake layer on a cake plate or cake stand
• Using a piping bag or offset spatula, spread a ½-inch-thick layer of chocolate cream on the top
• Repeat two more times with another layer of cake and more chocolate cream