CHOCOLATE POPPYSEED CAKE

CHOCOLATE POPPYSEED CAKE image

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

Cake
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup poppyseeds
4 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
11 ounces canned mandarin oranges, drained

Steps:

For cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 12x17-inch jelly roll pan. In small bowl, combine buttermilk, poppyseeds and 4 teaspoons orange peel. Let stand 15 minutes. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, cream butter and both sugars in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in yolks and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with poppyseed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Melt 8 ounces chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from over water and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Whisk chocolate into creme fraiche. Mix in 2 teaspoons orange peel and liquer. Cut cake crosswise into four 4x12-inch pieces. Set aside 1 piece for another use. Using serrated knife, split remaining 3 pieces in half horizontally, forming 6 layers. Place 1 cake layer cut side up on 4x12-inch piece of cardboard. Spread 1/3 cup chocolate creme fraiche evenly over cake. Top with second cake layer and spread with 1/3 cup creme fraiche. Repeat layering with remaining cake and 1 cup creem fraiche, ending with cake cut side down. Smooth remaining creme fraiche over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until filling is firm, about 2 hours. Place cake on rack set over rimmed cookie sheet. Spread some Chocolate Glaze over sides of cake. Pour remaining glaze over top of cake. Smooth top and sides with spatula if necessary. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes to set glaze. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let cake stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.) Garnish cake with orange slices.