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1
Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of the cake pan with baking parchment.
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3
Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, add the butter and let melt in the warm chocolate.
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4
Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the orange-flavored liqueur and the orange zest.
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5
In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until the whites hold their shape but are not too stiff.
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6
Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites.
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Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no long wobbly.
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8
Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.
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9
When you are ready to eat, place the still pan-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the sides of the pan from the cake.
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10
Don't worry about cracks or rough edges, it's the crater look we're going for here.
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11
Whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and orange-flavored liqueur and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff.
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12
Fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.
