Bittersweet Choc. Torte - Apricot Filling

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: Bittersweet Choc. Torte - Apricot Filling
Categories: Cakes, Chocolate
Yield: 12 servings

Cake:
6 lg Eggs
3/4 c Minus 1 tb. sugar
1 ts Vanilla extract
1/2 c Plus 1 tb. all-purpose flour
1/2 c Unsweetened cocoa powder;
-sifted
1 ts Ground allspice
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
Frosting and filling:
1 1/2 c Part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 c Plus 2 tb. unsweetened cocoa
-powder
2 tb Instant espresso powder
3 tb Granulated sugar
2 ts Vanilla extract
1/8 ts Salt
3/4 c Apricot all-fruit spread
Strawberries for garnish

Recipe by: Joyce Burton-PDPP83A
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray two 8-inch round cake
pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, using
an electric mixer set at high speed, beat the eggs, sugar,
and vanilla until thick and tripled in volume, about 7
minutes. 2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour,
cocoa powder, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Using a
large rubber spatula, quickly and gently fold the dry
ingredients into the egg mixture, until smooth. Divide the
mixture between the two prepared pans. Bake until a
toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out
clean, about 15 minutes. Cool completely in the pans set on
racks.
3. Meanwhile, to make the frosting, in a food 9:31 PM
processor or blender, process the ricotta cheese, cocoa
powder, espresso powder, sugar, vanilla, and salt, until
smooth. Cover and chill the frosting until ready to use.
4. When the cake is cool, turn it out of the pans. With a
long serrated knife, split each layer in half horizontally
and spread the bottom half of each layer with half of the
apricot all-fruit spread. Carefully replace the top halves.
5. Spread half of the frosting evenly over the top of one
of the filled layers. Stack the second filled layer on top
of the first. Swirl the remaining frosting evenly over the
top of cake. Garnish with whole strawberries, if desired.
To serve, cut the cake into 12 equal slices.

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