The Sampson Eagon Inn

Staunton, Virginia

Specialty Recipe

Irresistible Chocolate Cake

Ingredients - Cake:

2 cups superfine sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup vanilla yogurt (strained at least 2 to 3 hours)

1 stick butter, softened

2 eggs

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup Kahlua

6 ounces semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Ingredients - Glaze:

10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1-1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon Kahlua

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend together 1 cup sugar, cocoa powder and 1/2 cup yogurt. In another bowl, cream butter with 1 cup sugar. Beat eggs, one at a time, into creamed butter, then beat in cocoa mixture. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Add flour to butter cocoa mixture, alternating with remaining 1/2 cup of yogurt into which the Kahlua has been blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour evenly into a buttered 10-inch springform tube pan that has been dusted with cocoa powder.

Bake for approximately one hour or until tester comes out clean. Cool cake on a rack before removing from pan.

Glaze: Break chocolate into bits. Place double boiler over, not in, a pan of hot water. Add chocolate, cream, butter and Kahlua. Cover tightly and heat for a few minutes; stir until completely melted and smooth. Transfer to stainless steel bowl and cover. Keep at room temperature. Slowly pour about half the glaze over the top of the cake, spreading it evenly with a metal spatula over the top and sides and in the center. Refrigerate until glaze is firm. Then repeat with remaining glaze. Refrigerate again to allow second layer of glaze to firm up. Decorate with piped buttercream chocolate frosting in an interesting shape and top each with a chocolate coffee bean or pecan or walnut half. Or just accent with fresh flowers in center and around the sides. Best served the next day.

• You found this recipe on 1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com)