Serves     16

Ingredients

For the cake:
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 lb (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1/4 c strong brewed coffee
1/4 c dark rum
2 c sugar
3 large eggs
2 c flour pinch salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t ground cloves
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 c buttermilk
1 t vanilla
For Miriam’s Rum Soaking Syrup:
1/2c rum
2T butter
1/4c sugar
For Whipped Cream:
1 t ground cinnamon
1 c heavy cream
1/4 confectioner’s sugar
1 t vanilla
2 T dark rum

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 ‐ 8” round pans (or try 1 13×9).
Combine the flour, spices, salt, baking soda and powder and blend well. Set aside. Melt chocolate and
butter in the top of a double boiler (or in the microwave, stirring and watching carefully). When melted,
stir in the rum, coffee, sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat the eggs into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the reserved dry mix. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and mix until combined
well and slightly thickened. Pour in prepared pan(s). Bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted
in the middle comes out clean. WITHOUT THE SOAKER: Remove and cool in pan about 20 minutes on a
rack. Then unmold and cool completely. Top with whipped cream when serving. WITH THE RUM
SOAKER: Just before the cake is done, heat the rum, sugar, and butter until the sugar and butter melt and all is blended well. When the cake is done, place it on a rack. Pour the soaker over it (you can poke a few holes in the cake with a fork if you like to facilitate the soak). Allow the cake to cool. Unmolding may be difficult, so serve slices right from the pan and top with whipped cream. For the whipped cream: toast
cinnamon in a small pan over medium heat until fragrant, 30‐60 seconds. Cool. Combine cream, sugar,
and vanilla and beat to semi‐stiff peaks. Fold in cinnamon and rum. The cake freezes well.

Country:
Ethiopia


Notes and Instructions