Gypsy John

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

• 10 (1 ounce) squares semisweet baking chocolate
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons rum

Icing

• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate bits

Instructions

1. Cake: Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a jellyroll pan with wax paper; grease.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together twice; set aside.
3. Place eggs in small mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer 5 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored. Slowly beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Mixture will become very thick. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Beat in water and vanilla extract. Slowly add flour mixture; beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly to corners.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cake tests done.
5. Loosen from pan. Turn out on rack; remove wax paper. Invert; cool completely.
6. Filling: Combine baking chocolate, broken into pieces, and cream in heavy saucepan. Heat slowly; stirring constantly, until chocolate melts. Transfer to medium-size mixing bowl. Stir in rum; chill for 1 to 2 hours.
7. Beat with electric mixer until stiff and thick.
8. Cut cake in half crosswise. Place 1 piece of cake on small cookie sheet. Top with chocolate filling; spread to form even layer 1 1/2 inches thick. Top with remaining cake layer. Chill at least 1 hour.
9. Icing: Combine corn syrup, water and butter in small saucepan. Bring to boil; cook until butter melts. Remove from heat.
10. Add chocolate bits; stir until chocolate melts. Cool at room temperature. Spread over top of cake. Chill until frosting sets.
11. Cut cake into 12 squares; arrange on decorative plate.

Source: Whitman's Chocolate Cookbook