Boca Negra Cake

For the fresh raspberry sauce:

Place all of the ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Push the sauce through a sieve getting rid of all seeds. Let cool and set aside.

For the cake:
Butter a 9-inch baking pan and line the base with a circle of parchment. Butter the parchment, set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Boil enough water to fill a small roasting pan 1 inch up the sides.

Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl and set aside. Add 1 cup of the sugar and bourbon to a pot and heat until starting to boil and sugar has dissolved. Pour the mixture into the chocolate and stir with a spatula until smooth and chocolate is all melted. It will seem very thick.

Add the butter piece by piece to the chocolate, making sure to stir it until it has completely melted before adding more. This will take a little while and be a workout for your arm but hang in there until all of the butter has been added.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs and remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and whisk until the eggs are frothy and light. Add this mixture to the chocolate bowl and stir in very gently until all has been incorporated. Finally, add the flour and mix through.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth over with a spatula. Place the pan into the roasting pan and fill with the already hot water until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Carefully transfer to the oven.

Bake the cake for exactly 30 minutes and take out from the roasting tray. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes. The cake will be dry on top but still very jiggly in the center; don’t worry, it will firm up. It’s not meant to be caky. After it cools I like to let it rest in the fridge for another 30 minutes or so before turning out of the pan.

To serve the cake, run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan. Place the pan directly on a gas burner for about 8-10 seconds, moving it around. This will free up the solidified butter making it easier to fall out of the pan. Place a plate on top of the cake and flip it over so the cake is now sitting on the plate. Lift of the pan gently and peel off the parchment paper. Cut into thin wedges with a sharp wet knife, cleaning it after cutting every 2 slices. Serve with a drizzle of the raspberry sauce or vanilla ice cream.

Can be stored at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Recipe slightly adapted from Baking With Julia. Contributing baker Lora Brody.