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Cake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mark the outline of a 9-inch cake pan on parchment paper.
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Repeat until you have 6 marked circles.
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Place butter and vanilla in mixing bowl.
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Warm over low heat to soften.
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Transfer to a mixer and whip for 1 minute.
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Add powdered sugar and continue to whip another 5 minutes, until smooth and well blended.
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Lower the speed and add the egg yolks.
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Continue to whip for 2 to 3 minutes, until light.
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In another mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks.
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Add the granulated sugar and increase speed of the mixer.
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Whip until stiff but not dry.
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Fold the meringue into the egg yolk mixture.
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13
Gently fold flour into the egg mixture.
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14
Divide the batter equally among the 6-marked circles.
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With an offset spatula, spread the batter about 1/4-inch thick to fill in the marked circle.
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Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until light golden in color.
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Allow to cool.
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Transfer each cake circle onto a 9-inch cake board.
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Reserve.
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20
Chocolate Buttercream: In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water.
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Boil to 240 degrees F or soft ball stage on a candy thermometer.
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Do not stir.
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Meanwhile, in a mixer, beat the eggs and egg yolk until light and ribbony.
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Lower the speed and gradually pour the hot syrup into the egg mixture.
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Increase the speed and whip mixture until room temperature.
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Add the butter, 1 piece at a time.
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Then add the melted chocolate and rum, if desired.
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Continue to whip until smooth and well blended.
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29
Caramel Topping: Cook sugar until is amber in color.
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Pour caramel over 1 of the reserved cake layers.
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Run edge of a chef's knife in butter.
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With the help of the buttered edge knife, spread the caramel to cover the entire surface of the cake circle.
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Allow to cool to set the caramel.
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34
Cut into 12 equal pie cuts.
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35
Reserve.
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36
To assemble torte: Reserve half of the Chocolate Buttercream.
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37
Using some of the remaining buttercream, spread a 1/8-inch layer on top of the first cake layer.
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38
Continue layering the remaining the 4 remaining cake circles and spreading the buttercream.
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39
When all 5 cake layers have been frosted, frost the sides and top of the cake.
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40
Use a pastry comb to finish the sides of the layered cake.
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41
Mark the top of the cake into 12 pie sections.
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42
Pipe the remaining buttecream on top of each pie section and arrange the caramel slices on top of the piped cream at an angle.
