Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

Preparation

• Cake

  • With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter the sides of an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan with removable bottom and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  • In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add the water, oil and vinegar. Whisk until smooth. Spread out in the prepared cake pan.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Unmould the cake without removing the parchment paper.
  • Cut off the rounded top of the cooled cake to make it flat. Set aside for another use. Cut the cake in half horizontally to get two layers. Clean out the springform pan. Place the bottom cake layer back in the clean pan. Set aside.

• Filling

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Set aside.
  • In a third bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until firm peaks form.
  • To the bowl of cream cheese mixture, using a spatula, fold in the melted chocolate, then the egg whites and finally the whipped cream. Spread half of the cream cheese filling over the cake base. Top with the second layer of cake and the remaining filling, spreading it out in an even layer. Freeze the cake at this step, if needed. Garnish the cake with a rosette of strawberries, letting the slices overlap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until the filling is set.
  • When ready to serve, run a thin blade between the pan and the cake, then unmould. The cake will keep for 3 to 4 days, covered, in the refrigerator.