Chocolate Marmalade Cakes with Frosting

Ingredients

• 4 squares Unsweetened Baker's chocolate (Approximately 4 oz or 113g)
• 1.5 cups All-purpose flour (Approximately 180g)
• 3 teaspoons Baking powder (Approximately 12g)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (Added for flavor balance, not in original recipe)
• 0.5 cup Unsalted butter, softened (1 stick or 113g. Added for moisture and richness, not in original recipe)
• 1 cup Granulated sugar (Approximately 200g. Added for sweetness, not in original recipe)
• 5 eggs Large eggs, separated (Original recipe specifies 'Whites 5 eggs', yolks are used in this modernized version for richness)
• 0.5 cup Milk (Approximately 120ml. Added for moisture, not in original recipe)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (Approximately 5ml. Added for flavor, not in original recipe)
• 0.5 cup Apricot or Orange Marmalade (Approximately 160g)
• 1 batch Marshmallow Frosting (Recipe for this frosting is not provided and should be prepared separately.)
• 1 batch Chocolate Frosting (Recipe for this frosting is not provided and should be prepared separately.)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease and flour small cake tins (e.g., mini loaf pans or individual tart molds).
2. 2Break the Baker's chocolate into pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler method (place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water) or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Let the melted chocolate cool slightly.
3. 3In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
4. 4In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, about 3-4 minutes.
5. 5Separate the 5 large eggs, placing the yolks into the butter mixture and the whites into a separate clean bowl for later. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the slightly cooled melted chocolate and vanilla extract until just combined.
6. 6With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined after each addition, being careful not to overmix the batter.
7. 7In the separate clean bowl with the 5 egg whites, use an electric mixer with clean beaters to beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat.
8. 8Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate batter in two additions using a spatula. Fold until no streaks of egg white remain, being careful not to deflate the batter.
9. 9Divide the batter evenly among the prepared small tins or muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
10. 10Remove the tins from the oven and let the cakes cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This is crucial before filling and frosting.
11. 11Once the cakes are completely cool, use a small sharp knife or a cupcake corer to carefully remove a small portion of cake from the center of each, creating a cavity for the marmalade.
12. 12Spoon or pipe the apricot or orange marmalade into each created cavity, filling it generously.
13. 13Cover the tops of the filled cakes with your chosen Marshmallow Frosting or Chocolate Frosting. (Note: Recipes for these frostings are not provided in this document and should be prepared separately according to your preferred recipe).