Valentine’s Day Chocolate Decadence Cake

Sinfully decadent and dangerously rich, this cake recipe will bring out the passion in even the most blasé of Valentines…

Cake Ingredients:

• 6 oz Hershey’s semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 oz Baker’s unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly brewed espresso
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon McCormick vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs; separate whites from yolks
• 1 cup  dark brown sugar; packed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

Preparation:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. / 175°C. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform/cheesecake pan. Melt both chocolates with coffee and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Pour into large bowl. Cool. Mix in vanilla extract.

Using an electric mixer, beat yolks with both sugars in medium bowl. Fold yolk mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold in flour.

Using an electric mixer fitted with clean, dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl until almost stiff. Fold 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in remaining whites. Gently pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 45 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool (cake will fall). Run small knife around cake pan sides to loosen if necessary or release pan sides of cake. Invert cake onto plate

Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover cake in pan with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature.

Dark Chocolate Glaze Ingredients:

• 4 oz dark chocolate
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon Karo light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormick vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:

In a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate and butter. Stir frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in milk, corn syrup and vanilla. Put glaze aside to cool.

Place the cake on a rack over a baking sheet. Pour glaze onto the center of the cake and let it run down the sides. Use a spatula to smooth the glaze and coat the sides.

Add the walnuts to the top and sides of the cake. Chill about 10 minutes to set glaze.

ENJOY!!!