Ingredients
For the cake
- ¾ cup flour
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
For the strawberry filling
- 1 packet 2.5 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ¼ cups heavy cream divided
- ⅓ cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 10 – 12 strawberries
For the chocolate glaze
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Step by Step
- For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and move the rack to the lower half of the oven.
- Grease a 18×13 inch jelly roll pan. Grease the bottom, then add parchment paper, then grease the paper.
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- In your electric mixer, beat the 5 eggs. Gradually add sugar. Whip until very thick and frothy. This may take up to 8 to 10 minutes. Then add in vanilla.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the egg mixture.
- Then fold the egg and flour to combine. No stirring or mixing! Fold gently. You want to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
- While it’s cooking, prepare parchment paper on the counter greased with some shortening.
- When done, immediately flip over on to the parchment paper. (This was the most difficult task)
- Let it cool for 15 minutes, then cut 18 1-inch wide strips in the cake. I used a pizza cutter.
- Line a 1 1/2 quart bowl with plastic wrap leaving excess over the edges.
- Line the bowl with the cake strips. Pack them tightly, leaving no gaps. Trim the edges as needed.
- For the strawberry filling
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan and let sit until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream, sugar, and salt and heat over low heat, stirring constantly until all is dissolved. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- Clean and hull strawberries and place into food processor. Puree and then strain out 1 cup of strawberry pulp. I used the small metal strainer for this over a measuring cup.
- Place the gelatin mixture bowl into an ice bath and add the strawberry puree. Stir until mixture is at room temperature; about 5 minutes.
- Now, make some whipped cream. With the remaining 3/4 cup of cream, whisk until soft peaks form.
- Fold whipped cream into strawberry gelatin until combined.
- Add to the cake-lined bowl and cover with the remaining strips of cake. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for 3 hours to firm up.
- To make the glaze and finish the cake
- Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds at 70% power. Stir and continue heating until melted and smooth.
- Get Bomb out of fridge and carefully flip over on to a wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath. The plastic wrap did make it a bit hard to do, but it came out after a little working.
- Pour the glaze over the cake and coat all sides.
- Place back in the fridge and allow for the chocolate shell to firm up. Then, using two spatulas, carefully lift off the rack and place on a cake platter.
My tips
I found this recipe in the Cook’s County Chocolate Dessert Magazine.
More success tips following.