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1
Preheat the oven to 350F
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2
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set an 8 by 2 1/2-inch ring on it.
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3
Wrap an 8-inch cardboard cake round with foil and set aside.
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4
In a small bowl, sift together the flour and the baking soda & set aside.
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5
In a double boiler or a metal bowl placed over simmering water, melt the chocolate; keep warm.
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6
Meanwhile, with the paddle of an electric mixer, cream the butter until light.
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7
Gradually add 1 cup sugar and continue to cream the butter until the mixture is light and fluffy.
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8
(It is very important to beat the mixture long enough so it really is fluffy.)
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9
One at a time, beat in the egg yolks; then, beat in the whiskey and the vanilla.
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10
Stop the machine and scrape in the melted chocolate.
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11
Continue to mix until well combined.
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12
Remove the bowl from the machine and use a rubber spatula to fold in half the flour mixture.
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13
Fold in the remaining flour.
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14
With a clean whisk and bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
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15
Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites are shiny and firm, but not stiff.
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16
Stir 1/4 of the whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites.
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17
Pour the batter into the prepared cake ring and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
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18
Remove from the oven and immediately place the foil-covered cardboard round on top of the ring and, holding the round and the baking sheet together with heatproof pads or oven gloves, invert them.
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19
Lift off the baking sheet at once; run a sharp knife around the sides of the cake, loosening the cake from the ring, but do not remove the ring from the cake.
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20
Let the cake cool completely on a rack.
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21
Then, carefully lift off the ring.
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22
Dust the cake with sifted powdered sugar, cut into thin wedges, and serve with rum-raisin ice cream or mocha whipped cream.
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23
E N J O Y!
