ORANGE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 10–12 Servings

Comment:
This recipe is from “All the Presidents’ Pastries” by Roland Mesnier, who was the Executive Pastry Chef for the White House from 1979 through 2004. This particular recipe was a favorite of the Reagan Family.

Ingredients:
zest of 1 large orange
candied orange peel for serving
6 ounces (170g) bittersweet chocolate
unsalted butter for greasing
flour for dusting
1½ sticks unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
10x confectioners’ sugar for dusting
vanilla ice cream for serving

Method:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment paper then set aside. Gently melt chocolate over a double broiler. Add 1½ sticks butter into chocolate then stir until melted and smooth. Remove from double broiler. Whisk sugar and orange zest into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and egg yolks, whisking constantly. Sift cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk batter until totally smooth. Pour batter into cake pan and bake 35–40 minutes or until top has formed a good crust. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn cake upside down onto a serving platter. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with candied peel and vanilla ice cream.