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Weekend Recipe: Chocolate Shadow Cake

October 21, 2016
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Chocolate Shadow Cake
Photo: Courtesy of Cook's Country

This cake from Cook's Country is just absolutely gorgeous: it's a showstopper, on a holiday table or at the end of a quick countertop dinner.

This rich chocolate butter cake is layered with fluffy seven-minute icing and topped with a drippy chocolate glaze. We added light corn syrup to the chocolate glaze so that it clung tightly to the cake and had a glossy texture. Using an offset spatula ensured the icing on our Chocolate Shadow Cake spread in an even layer.

Chocolate Shadow Cake
​Makes 12 pieces

INGREDIENTS

4 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 (8-inch) chocolate cake rounds
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE ICING: Whisk egg whites, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in large heat-resistant bowl set over medium saucepan filled with ½ inch of barely simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). With hand-held mixer on medium-high speed, carefully beat egg white mixture to stiff peaks, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat, add vanilla, and continue to beat until icing is very thick and stiff and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

2. TO ASSEMBLE: Spread 1 cup icing on bottom cake layer. Repeat with second cake layer and additional 1 cup icing. Top with final cake layer and spread top and sides with remaining icing.

3. TO DECORATE: Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in large heat-resistant bowl set over medium saucepan filled with ½ inch of barely simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). Stir until melted and smooth, then remove bowl from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Spoon ¼ cup chocolate mixture over top of cake and then drizzle remaining glaze along top edge of cake, allowing it to drip about halfway down the sides.

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