CHOCOLATE COVERED CAKE

By gaster16

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs separated, at room temperature
• 5 (1 oz.) squares semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons orange liqueur
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam
• 1 cup chocolate icing
• 12 rose leaves, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 teaspoon cocoa

Preparation

Step 1

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in egg yolks, chocolate, and almonds until blended.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, gently fold whites and flour into batter. Pour into prepared pan, bake as directed.

Cool cake in pan 10 minutes, remove from pan to wire rack. Prick top with fork, sprinkle with liqueur and spread with jam.

Melt icing in top of double boiler. Holding leaves by stems, dip 1 side into chocolate, let set on waxed paper for 4 hours.

Let remaining icing cool, then reheat to spreading consistency. Spread icing over top and sides of cake in even layers.

gently peel off rose leaves from chocolate leaves. Decorate cake with chocolate leaves and pipe rosettes with silver candies in middle of each rosette.