Chocolate Fudge Cake With Mint Chips

The Valentines cake I made was a huge hit!  The consistency was so moist it was almost like fudge.  Yum!!  I know the directions seem more complicated.  But it wasn’t at all hard, and I’ll definitely be making it again! 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup vegetable spread (I used a light version for the cake body)
• 6 squares (1 oz. ea.) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, OR 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 eggs, separated
• Pinch salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 Tbsp. vegetable spread (here, I substituted a little more than half real butter and the rest light vegetable spread, and added about 1/3 C of powdered sugar)
• 10 squares (1 oz. ea.) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, OR 1-2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Extra chocolate and mint chips for garnish.  I imagine butterscotch would also be yummy!

Directions:

For CAKE, preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9-inch round cake pan, then line with parchment or waxed paper; set aside.

Melt spread with chocolate in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally; set aside to cool slightly.

Beat egg whites with salt in medium bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form; set aside.

Beat egg yolks with sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. While beating, slowly add chocolate mixture until blended. Beat in flour. Fold in egg whites with spatula just until blended. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 30 minutes. (Note: Toothpick inserted in center will NOT come out clean.) Run knife around rim of cake to loosen cake from sides of pan; cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove cake from pan and cool completely.

For GLAZE, melt vegetable spread (or real butter if you like) with chocolate in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Spread warm glaze over cake.

Optional: Decorate with Chocolate and Mint chips.  The mint chips were delicious with it, and my guys were fighting over the pieces with the most green.  :)