Chocolate-Cinnamon Sheet Cake with Almond Cream

Directions

• Step 1

  To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray with flour. Alternatively, spray the pan with regular cooking spray, dust with flour and tap out the excess.

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• Step 2

  Melt chocolate in the microwave on Medium in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst to ensure even melting, until completely melted. (Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water, stirring constantly.) Set aside.

• Step 3

  Whisk cake flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

• Step 4

  Beat egg whites in a clean medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

• Step 5

  Beat the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil in a large bowl on medium speed until combined. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, then melted chocolate and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until combined.

• Step 6

  Add 1/2 cup milk to the egg-yolk mixture, beating on low speed, then add half the flour mixture. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup milk, then the remaining flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the whites with a spatula, using long, even strokes. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly to the edges.

• Step 7

  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.

• Step 8

  To prepare almond cream: Beat cream and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is the consistency of sour cream, about 1 minute. Add sour cream, amaretto (or almond extract), vanilla and cinnamon; beat to combine. Serve the cake with the almond cream.