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1
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice into a large bowl and whisk until the mix is one even brown colour with no streaks.
Sift the cocoa — it clumps in the bag and the lumps will not break up in the batter.
Done when: No lumps of cocoa; the mix is one even brown colour.
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2
Melt the Chocolate & Butter
10 Mins
Low heat, about 50°C (120°F)
Put the 100 g of dark chocolate for the batter and the butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and stir until smooth and glossy. Take it off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes so it does not cook the eggs.
Do not let the bowl touch the water — steam, not boiling water, melts chocolate without seizing it.
Done when: Smooth and glossy, with no lumps.
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3
Mix the Batter
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Whisk the eggs, milk, hot coffee, 60 ml of rum and the vanilla into the cooled chocolate and butter. Pour the wet mix into the dry bowl and stir with a spatula until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
Stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears; overmixing makes a tough, heavy cake.
Done when: Thick, smooth batter that falls from the spatula in ribbons.
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4
Bake the Layers
35 Mins
175°C (350°F)
Divide the haitian chocolate cake batter between the two lined tins and smooth the tops. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the layers spring back when pressed lightly and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Leave them in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Rotate the tins once halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.
Done when: A skewer in the centre comes out clean and the layers spring back when pressed.
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5
Soak with Rum Syrup
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
While the layers cool, simmer the brown sugar and water in a small pan for 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat, stir in the 60 ml of rum for the syrup, and brush the syrup generously over the warm layers, letting it sink in.
Brush the syrup on while the layers are still warm — a cold cake will not drink it in.
Done when: The syrup disappears into the crumb; the layers look damp, not wet.
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6
Ganache & Assemble
15 Mins + 30 Mins Setting
Low heat, about 50°C (120°F)
Heat the cream in a small pan until it just starts to steam, then pour it over the finely chopped ganache chocolate in a bowl. Leave it for 2 minutes, add the 30 ml of rum, and stir from the centre until glossy and smooth. Let the ganache cool until it holds soft peaks, then spread it between the layers and over the top and sides. Rest for 30 minutes so it sets.
If the ganache splits, whisk in a spoonful of cold cream and it will come back together.
Done when: Ganache holds soft peaks on the spatula and sets to a soft, sliceable coat.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Slice the haitian chocolate cake with a hot, dry knife for clean layers, and serve at room temperature so the ganache is soft, not hard. One slice is plenty — this is a rich cake.
Haiti
2h 10m
