step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
step 2
For the cake: Spray a 10 inch round cake pan with baking spray, or brush it with melted butter and then sprinkle with flour. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray it with baking spray too.
step 3
Melt the chocolate for the cake and for the frosting over a double broiler. I use a glass bowl set over a small saucepan with about an inch of water in the saucepan.
step 4
Whisk until the chocolate melts. Set aside to cool.
step 5
Cream Butter (3/4 cup) and half of Granulated Sugar (3/4 cup) for the cake on high speed in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
step 6
Separate the Eggs (8) yolks and egg whites. Save egg whites in a small bowl for later. Add in the 8 egg yolks.
step 7
Mix until combined.
step 8
Add melted Chocolate (1 cup) to the bowl.
step 9
Mix until combined.
step 10
Whisk the All-Purpose Flour (1 1/2 cups) with Baking Powder (1/2 Tbsp).
step 11
Add the dry ingredients to the cake batter and mix just until it's combined. It is ok if there are a few streaks of flour left. You can finish mixing it later with a rubber spatula.
step 12
Whisk the eggs whites until they are foamy, gradually add the remaining half of sugar. Keep whisking until stiff peaks form.
step 13
Gently fold it into the cake batter. Be careful not to deflate the batter too much.
step 14
Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared cake pan.
step 15
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cake is nice and springy when you touch it, or when a toothpick comes out clean. Slice the cake in half horizontally.
step 16
Repeat and pour the next 1/3 of the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 15 minutes and slice when finished.
step 17
Repeat for the last 1/3 of the batter and bake for 15 minutes and slice, for a total of 6 cake layers.
step 18
For the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the Water (1/2 cup), Granulated Sugar (1/3 cup), and Chocolate Liqueur (1/2 cup) and cook over medium-hot heat until the sugar melts. Remove from the heat and let cool.
step 19
For the frosting: Add the Philadelphia Original Soft Cheese (1 cup) and Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 can) in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment.
step 20
Cream the ingredients.
step 21
Add the other half of the melted Chocolate (1 cup) and Chocolate Liqueur (2 Tbsp). Mix until well combined.
step 22
In another chilled bowl and whisk attachment, whisk the Heavy Cream (1 cup) until peaks form.
step 23
Gently fold it into the rest of the frosting.
step 24
The frosting should look like this.
step 25
Assembling the cake: Line the edges of a round cake platter with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
step 26
Brush the top of each cake layer with the syrup.
step 27
Spread the frosting on each of the cake layers.
step 28
Smooth the frosting over the sides and top of the cake.
step 29
Completed frosting should look like this.
step 30
Dust surface of the cake with Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (3 Tbsp) and place the Chocolate Truffles (12) around the edges of the cake.
step 31
Here is a picture of the final cake assembled.
