Serves: 16
Total Calories: 352

1 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 eggs yolk large
2 cups walnuts finely ground or blanched almonds
1 (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
3 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 eggs white large
Chocolate Filling (see below)
Chocolate Glaze
16 walnuts halves or blanched almonds

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three 9 x 1 1/2 -inch round cake pans. Line with waxed paper, grease and flour the paper. In a large mixer bowl at medium-high speed, beat butter for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Very slowly add powdered sugar and beat 2 minutes longer or until blended.

In a small mixer bowl at medium-high speed, beat egg yolks for 2 minutes or until thick and pale yellow. Add to butter mixture and beat until blended, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in nuts, chocolate and flour. Add vanilla and beat until well blended.

In a clean large mixer bowl at high speed, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Carefully fold remaining whites into batter. Pour into pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cakes pull away from sides of pans. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans remove waxed paper immediately. Cool cakes completely on wire racks.

To assemble, place one layer of cake on a serving plate and spread with half of the filling. Top with a second cake layer and spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with warm glaze. Decorate cake with nuts. Serve or cover and refrigerate until 2 hours before serving.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 16
Total Calories: 352
Calories from Fat: 238

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