Jam-Filled Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (plus more for pan)
• 6 ozs semisweet chocolate (or bittersweet, finely chopped)
• 11/2 cups flour (all-purpose, spooned and leveled, plus more for pan)
• 11/2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 11/2 cups jam (thick fruit, such as raspberry)
• 25 chocolate (Glazed Raspberry Cream Puffs, optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. STEP 1

   Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high until pale and fluffy, 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, bring milk and butter to a simmer over medium. With mixer on medium, gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture and beat just until combined. With mixer on low, add milk mixture in a steady stream and beat until combined. Fold in vanilla.

2. STEP 2

   Pour batter into pan. Bake until top is light golden and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan; turn cake out onto rack to cool completely (top side up), 30 minutes.

3. STEP 3

   With a serrated knife, trim top of cake to make it level, then split cake in half horizontally. Place bottom layer on a cake plate or serving platter and spread jam evenly on top with an offset spatula. Top with second layer.

4. STEP 4

   Make glaze: Place chocolate and corn syrup in a heatproof medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Immediately pour over chocolate and let sit 2 minutes. Stir until mixture is smooth. Pour glaze on cake and spread with offset spatula so it drips down sides. Refrigerate until glaze is set, 45 minutes (or up to 2 hours). To serve, arrange cream puffs (if using) on top of cake.