1
Pour milk into a saucepan and bring to a simmer; add two strips of lemon rind to infuse flavor.
2
In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until light, fluffy, and roughly doubled in volume.
3
Sift flour into the egg mixture and blend until just combined.
4
Slowly drizzle about half a cup of the simmering milk into the egg mixture while stirring constantly to temper the eggs and prevent curdling.
5
Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over gentle heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour is fully cooked and the custard thickens.
6
Turn off heat, add a pinch of salt and vanilla extract, and stir well.
7
Remove the lemon rinds. Pour half the custard into one bowl for the plain vanilla version; pour the other half over chopped chocolate in another bowl and let sit for one minute to melt, then whisk together.
8
Cover both bowls of custard with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until completely cooled.
9
In a large bowl, whisk together six eggs and one cup of sugar with lemon zest (optional) and a pinch of salt for several minutes until light, airy, and significantly increased in volume.
10
Sift in cake flour and a pinch of salt, add a splash of vanilla extract, and gently fold until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
11
Pour batter into an 8-inch springform pan that has been oiled on the bottom only (not the sides, to help the cake rise); bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes until fully cooked.
12
After 25 minutes, turn off the oven, crack the door open slightly, and let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the residual heat, then remove and cool completely.
13
In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar, bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in dark rum once cooled.
14
Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cooled cake to loosen it, release the springform, and carefully cut the cake into three equal layers.
15
Place the bottom layer back into the springform pan and generously brush with rum syrup, allowing it to soak in. Spread the chocolate custard on top.
16
Add the middle layer, brush with rum syrup, and spread the vanilla custard on top.
17
Place the top layer upside down on top and brush with the remaining rum syrup. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
18
In a large bowl, whip heavy cream until near stiff peaks, add powdered sugar, then fold in instant vanilla pudding powder and whip until fully stabilized.
19
Transfer some whipped cream to a piping bag and create small rosettes on top of the cake, then use a spatula to spread the remaining whipped cream smoothly over the top and sides.
20
Press toasted sliced almonds all around the sides of the cake, building up layers until the sides are fully covered.
21
Arrange maraschino cherries around the top of the cake and finish by grating additional semisweet chocolate over the top for garnish.
22
Refrigerate the finished cake; the pudding powder in the whipped cream helps stabilize it, so the cake keeps beautifully in the fridge for several days.
PrimedTableBETA
