Chocolate Chambord Cake

Cake:

� cup unsalted butter, room temperature
� cup sugar
3 egg yolks
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2 Tbsp finely ground almonds
2 Tbsp Chambord (can substitute Framboise or other raspberry liqueur)
1/8 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
generous pinch of salt
4 egg whites
2 Tbsp sugar

Butter 8-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat butter in bowl of electric mixer. Add � cup sugar gradually and beat on high 8 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add yolks one at a time and beat well. Stir in chocolate, almonds, Chambord and almond extract. Remove from mixer bowl into a larger mixing bowl. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Return to sifter and set aside. Beat the four egg whites in mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff. Sift 1/3 of flour mixture over batter and add 1/3 of the beaten egg white. Fold both in gently. Repeat this twice, folding thoroughly the last time. Turn into prepared pan, smoothing evenly. Bake in middle of oven for 16 to 18 minutes until outer 1 � to 2 inches is done but center of cake is still slightly undone. This gives the cake its lovely creamy quality. Set on rack and let cool until completely cooled, at least one hour. While cooling, push outer edge down lightly to make it more even with the center which will sink. Remove cake from pan and refrigerate a couple of hours or overnight.

Glaze:

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, cut into pieces
� cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 tsp honey

In top of double boiler combine chocolate, butter and honey. Melt over simmering, not boiling, water. Stir gently until smooth. Cool to 100 degrees. While glaze cools, place cake upside down on an eight-inch circle of cardboard. Set cake on a rack over a baking sheet. Trim cake slightly to make outer edges of cake more level with center. Stir glaze gently and pour onto center of cake. Tilt rack so glaze completely coats tops and sides. It should be thick on top. Refrigerate. Serve when glaze is set. Cake can be prepared the day before serving. Serves 8 to 10 people.