Midnight Chocolate Cake
About 1/4 cup salad oil
About 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped frosting (recipe follows)
1. Oil a metal 8-inch-square or 8-inch-wide round cake pan, or a 9-inch-wide, 11/2- to 2-inch-deep heart-shaped pan. Line pan bottom with waxed paper cut to fit; oil paper. Dust pan with cocoa, shaking out excess.
2. In a bowl, mix 2/3 cup cocoa, flour, soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl with a mixer, beat to blend sugar, 1/4 cup salad oil, egg whites, vanilla, and 1 cup water. Add flour mixture; stir to mix, then beat until batter is smooth. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake in a 350° oven until cake begins to pull from pan side and springs back when lightly pressed in center, 35 to 40 minutes.
5. Let cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife between cake and pan rim, invert cake onto a rack, lift off pan, and gently pull off and discard waxed paper. Let cool about 1 hour. Invert a flat plate onto cake; holding rack and plate together, turn cake over onto plate. Spread cake with whipped frosting, swirling with small spatula. Lightly dust with more cocoa.
Whipped Frosting
1 large egg white
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1. Use a double boiler, or snugly nest a 2- to 3-quart metal bowl in a 2- to 3-quart pan. Add 1 inch water to base of double boiler or pan. Bring to boiling over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, in double boiler top or bowl, combine egg white, sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and cream of tartar. Beat with a portable mixer until blended. Nest over boiling water; immediately reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. With mixer on medium speed, beat icing until it holds peaks that curve slightly, 5 to 7 minutes (overcooked, the icing gets grainy).
3. At once, remove icing from hot water. Mix in vanilla. Use, or if making up to 1 hour ahead, set pan or bowl in cool water to stop cooking, and cover airtight.
VARIATIONS:
Midnight Orange Cake
Follow directions for midnight chocolate cake (above), adding 1 teaspoon grated orange peel to the batter in step 3. Follow directions (above) for whipped frosting, adding 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel with the vanilla in step 3.
Black Forest Cake
1. In a bowl, combine 1 can (1 lb.) drained pitted tart pie cherries in water and 1/4 cup kirsch. Let stand at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Follow directions for midnight chocolate cake batter (above), using an 8-inch-wide round pan. When cake is cool, use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers.
3. Meanwhile, follow directions for whipped frosting (above), using 2 large egg whites, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
4. Drain cherries, pouring kirsch into a small pitcher.
5. To assemble cake, place bottom layer on a flat plate, cut side up. Spread cut side with about 1/4 the frosting; dot with 1/2 the cherries. Set center cake layer on frosting; spread with about 1/4 the frosting; dot with remaining cherries. Lay top of cake, cut side down, onto cherries. With a small spatula, swirl remaining frosting over cake. Cut cake into wedges; drizzle each portion with reserved kirsch.
Source: Elaine Johnson
Submitted by sooz
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