-
1
Cake: Place oven rack in lower third of the oven, and preheat oven to 375F (190C).
-
2
Butter an 8 inch springform pan, and coat with powdered cocoa.
-
3
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water.
-
4
(don't rush this step, chocolate burns easily) Beat egg yolks in a large mixer bowl at high speed, gradually adding 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar.
-
5
Beat until yolk mixture is pale yellow and thick, 4 to 6 minutes.
-
6
Add melted chocolate mixture to the yolk mixture.
-
7
Beat until completely smooth.
-
8
Add vanilla and liquor of your choice.
-
9
Beat until blended.
-
10
Beat egg whites in mdm mixer bowl at high speed until soft peaks form.
-
11
Gradually beat remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar into whites; continue beating until stiff but not dry peaks form.
-
12
Fold whites gently but thoroughly into chocolate mixture.
-
13
Pour batter evenly into pan; smooth top.
-
14
Bake 15 minutes.
-
15
Reduce oven to 350F; bake another 15 minutes.
-
16
Reduce oven temp to 250F; bake 30 minutes longer (total baking time is 1 hour).
-
17
Turn off oven; prop open oven door and allow cake to remain in oven for 30 minutes.
-
18
Remove cake from oven and cover top with damp paper towelling; let stand 5 minutes.
-
19
Remove towelling and cool cake completely.
-
20
Dome of cake will crack and collapse; this is normal - press top of cake down lightly to smooth top.
-
21
Remove springform and transfer cake to serving platter.
-
22
To make the frosting: Melt chocolate in double boiler over hot but not boiling water.
-
23
Using a wooden spoon, mix in sour cream.
-
24
Pour over the cake.
-
25
Let cool and harden.
