Directions

To organize the cake

1. Sift collectively the flour and baking powder and put aside.

For the meringue base of the cake batter

1. Beat the egg whites and cream of tarter till foamy. Add ½ cup sugar steadily till egg whites are stiff.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar till foamy and thickened.
3. Fold the crushed egg yolks into the crushed egg whites together with the vanilla (and lemon) for just a few turns earlier than slowly and steadily folding within the flour and baking powder combination very gently BY HAND utilizing a rubber spatula. Fold simply till the flour is included into the meringue combination. I combine within the dry components in 3 equal parts. Don’t over combine, you simply need the flour to be included; over mixing will deflate the egg whites and end in a troublesome textured closing product.
4. Pour into greased and parchment paper lined 8 inch spherical cake pans and bake at 325 levels F for 25-Half-hour or till middle springs again when touched. Flip onto a wire rack to chill fully.
5. When the cake is totally cooled, break up the 2 layers into 4 with a pointy serrated knife and sprinkle every layer with 1 ounce of darkish rum. This step is non-compulsory. For a much less boozy cake, you possibly can serve it with the rum simply included within the frosting.

To organize the frosting

1. Soften collectively the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup whipping cream in a double boiler. Stir continuously over a delicate simmer within the double boiler, simply till melted and easy all through. You don’t want this combination to get sizzling, it ought to be simply on the melting level and solely lukewarm to the contact.
2. Switch to a big mixing bowl and stir in 2 ounces good high quality darkish rum.
3. In a separate bowl, whip the two cups of whipping cream to agency peaks.
4. Add the whipped cream to the chocolate combination in 4 parts, folding gently after every addition till the whipped cream is totally included into the chocolate.
5. At this level you’ll in all probability have to relax this frosting for a half hour or so within the fridge whether it is too gentle to work with. Simply give it a fast fold with a rubber spatula each 10 minutes in order that it cools evenly within the fridge.
6. Fill and frost the rum soaked cake layers with the frosting and garnish with contemporary berries if desired. Chill the cake for a no less than a few hours earlier than serving.