Instructions: Batter: Butter and line a 10 inch cake pan with paper, butter well.

Fine chop chocolate and melt over pan of hot water, stirring occasionally. Beat butter on medium speed, with 1/2 of the sugar until soft and light. Beat in melted chocolate, egg yolks-one at a time. Combine walnuts, flour and stir into butter/chocolate mixture.

Whip egg whites in bowl to soft peaks and whip in rest of sugar -adding in a slow stream. Whip to soft peaks. Stir 1/4 of egg whites into batter. Fold in the rest GENTLY with spatula.

Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake 350F for 35 minutes. Unmold and cool on rack. Be sure to carefully remove paper before decorating cake.

Syrup: Combine water and sugar in pan. Bring to boil. Cool and stir in rum.

Filling: Bring cream and corn syrup to boil in pan. Remove from heat.

Stir in chocolate; let stand 2 minutes to let chocolate melt.

Whisk smooth. Whisk in butter and rum. Scrape into bowl and let cool to room temperature; refrigerate until thick and set.

Assemble:
Trim cake to even beauty and slice horizontally into 2 layers.

(Easy way is to mark division around edge of cake with tooth- picks and saw into with dental floss, using picks as guides.)

Place one layer on 10 inch cardboard circle. Moisten top of layer with 1/2 of syrup, using a brush. Beat chocolate filling on medium speed or by hand for 1 minute until density is light- ened. Spread 1/4 over syrup laden layer.

Top with 2nd. layer and moisten top with rest of syrup (as in prior step). Top with 1/2 of the remaining filling on top and sides of cake. Using an Ateco #2 pastry tip (OR your own made pastry bag) pipe remaining filling in vertical lines across the width...then the opposite width of the cake to create a window or diamond lattice decoration, with rosettes if desired. Fill center of each lattice square with a walnut half (optional).

Serve at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.

Sliced thin, serves 12.

Note: Vino cotto liqueur is often used for the syrup base for such a cake.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.