Great Dessert for a quick birthday or Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs slightly beaten
• 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

For the chocolate Ganache:

•     1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
•     1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cheesecake pan (or regular pan, but this makes it easier to get out) with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Place it in the bottom of the pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. 

To make the cake, put the chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the butter is melted and the chips are soft, about one minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. If you need to reheat, do for 10 seconds at a time and stir. 

Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and stir to combine. 

Add the eggs and stir until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 25 minutes or until the cake has a thin crust on the top and the center registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Take out and let cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Combine the chocolate and cream in a medium pot over medium heat, and heat until the cream is very hot so it will melt the chocolate. Remove once the chocolate is melted. 

Spread the chocolate ganache glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set up for a few hours before cutting and serving the cake. I always put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process. 

Optional: Top with raspberries