Today, I bid farewell to my early-twenties.

That’s right. I’m officially closer to 30 than 20 (26, to be exact) – and what better way to celebrate than with a insanely French and insanely fabulous chocolate cake?

{Well, actually – tacos, tequila, and the loves of my life sounds pretty damn perfect – but that’s for later tonight!}

Because getting a year older, for me, is something worth celebrating. I always tell my friends I’m not afraid of aging, and they always tell me to just wait until I hit 30. But, truth be told – I welcome it all. I’ve never been happier in my life, and I can honestly say that I’m so truly excited for everything that awaits me. I’m so proud of the person I’ve become, and I feel so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life. It only gets better from here, and that’s a truly incredible feeling.

So, let’s have cake.

{And later, lots of frozen prickly pear margaritas}

This cake has been on my list since the idea for February in France first popped in my head. It’s a famous Julia Child recipe; apparently it even starred in the movie Julie & Julia, but I can’t say I remember that. It’s dense, it’s rich, and it has great texture and flavor thanks to the addition of finely ground almonds and a touch of almond extract. I think fresh raspberries are a natural fit for this cake – which makes it a perfect choice for a Valentine’s Day dessert. I love how French cakes are usually smaller in size, about an inch or two high at the most, which always makes serving easy, and I also love that French chocolate cakes are generally not cooked all the way through – making for a moist, luscious cake rather than a dry one.

Yes, this recipe is a bit tedious – but you must trust Julia. It’s not difficult, it’s just that the steps are broken out very clearly, and following them precisely is what gets you such a perfect result.

Reine de Saba Cake

Adapted from Julia Child

“A very special cake of almonds, butter, and chocolate that is somewhat moist
 in the center – it literally melts in the mouth. This was the first French cake 
I ever ate, prepared by my French colleague, Simca, and I have never forgotten it. Like most French cakes, it is only an inch and a half high, which
 makes it easy to serve.”

– Julia Child

Note: This is the spongecake type – using separated eggs – where beaten egg whites
 are folded into the batter. You want to be sure here that the melted chocolate
 is still warm and smooth so that the egg whites can be folded in easily.

For a 4-cup pan, such as a round one 8 by 1 1/2 inches, serving 6 to 8.

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons dark rum or strong coffee {I used coffee}
• 1 stick unsalted butter,
 at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup blanched almonds pulverized with
2 tablespoons sugar (see Special Note below)
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup cake flour

The egg whites:

• 3 egg whites (a scant 1/2 cup), at room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Remember to take your butter and eggs out early to get to room temperature; I’ve taken them out as early as the night before. I left out the whole eggs, since you’re going to separate them, and you need the whites to be room temperature so that they mount properly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and set the rack in the lower middle level. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.

Mise-en-place:  This is the French term for “get your shit together.” Set out all the ingredients and equipment listed. Get a double boiler going by bringing a pot of water to a simmer and placing a bowl (glass or metal) over top; you want to make sure the water isn’t touching the bowl, just gently heating it. Break up the chocolate into the bowl and add the rum or coffee. Stir the chocolate until it’s smoothly melted and glistening.

Cut the butter into pieces and cream it in 
the mixing bowl – the portable mixer is useful here, though I used my stand mixer. When soft and fluffy, 
add the sugar and beat 1 minute, then beat in the egg yolks. If using a stand mixer, you’re going to need it for the egg whites, so you’re going to have to transfer the egg yolk mixture and clean the bowl very well after this step.

{Note on egg whites: The 
bowl and beater are important; they must be clean, with no 
trace of oil or grease, and not even a speck of egg yolk should be among 
the whites since oil, grease, and yolk prevent the whites from mounting
 into a mass of tiny bubbles.
 Whether or not you are using a copper bowl, it’s a good idea to pour a tablespoon of vinegar into the bowl and a teaspoon of salt. Rub the bowl
 clean with paper towels, but do not wash it – the traces of vinegar and 
salt help stabilize the egg whites}

Using a hand-held electric mixer, or a mixer on a stand, start beating the egg whites at moderately slow speed until they are foaming throughout – 2 minutes or so. Add a pinch of salt (unless you have rubbed the bowl with salt before you started in) and add cream of
 tartar – a stabilizer. Gradually increase the speed to fast (moderately fast if
 you have a heavy-duty mixer) and continue until soft peaks are formed. Gradually beat in the 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue until stiff, shining peaks are formed.

At once blend the warm, smoothly melted chocolate and the coffee into the yolk mixture, then the almonds and almond extract. Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten it. Scoop the 
rest of the whites over the chocolate and, alternating with sprinkles of
flour, rapidly and delicately fold in the egg whites.

Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Immediately turn the batter into
 the prepared pan, tilting it in all directions to run it up to the rim all around,
 and set it in the preheated oven.

The cake is done when it has puffed to the top of the pan and a toothpick plunged into the cake 2 and 3 inches from the edges 
of the pan comes out clean. The center, however, should move slightly 
when the pan is gently shaken. (Chocolate cakes of the French type
 should not be cooked dry.)
 Remove the pan to the rack and let cool 15 
minutes; unmold onto the rack. Let cool completely – 2 hours – before
 serving or icing.

Ahead-of-time note: May be wrapped airtight and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days,
or may be frozen for several weeks.

Serving note: French chocolate cakes are at their best when served at near room temperature – chilled, the chocolate is partly congealed rather than being softly yielding.

Soft Chocolate Icing

For an 8-inch cake

• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rum or strong coffee
• A pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted softened butter,
 at room temperature

Melt the chocolates with the rum or coffee in a double boiler as instructed above. When smooth and glistening, beat in the salt, then the butter 
a tablespoon at a time. Beat over cold water until firm enough to spread.
 Turn the icing on to of the cake; spread it over the top and sides.

Special Note on Pulverizing Nuts: You can grate them fine, if you have a specialized
 machine. Otherwise not more than 3/4 cup at a time in a food processor with steel blade – 
always adding 1 tablespoon or more of granulated sugar to prevent the nuts
from turning oily. Don’t overpulverize – they should be dry and powdery;
 otherwise they will lump when you fold them into a batter or egg whites.