Bake the Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. You will need two 8” round cake pans, line w/ parchment paper at the bottom, greased and coated w/ very fine bread crumbs.

On a board with a heavy knife, cut the chocolate into small pieces. About 1/4 “ in diameter. Set aside.

Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 1 ¼ cups of the sugar, coffee, baking powder, and salt.

Make a wide well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Add in the following order, without mixing, the oil, egg yolks, coffee liquor, water and vanilla. With a large wire whisk, beat until smooth. Fold in chopped chocolate. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high with the cream of tartar until they hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate and gradually add the remaining ½ cup of sugar. Then on high speed again, beat the whites until stiff peaks form when beaters are raised. They should not be beaten until they are dry.

In three additions, fold about ¾ of the yolk mixture into the whites. Then fold the whites into the remaining yolk mixture. Do not handle any more than necessary.

Gently pour the batter into the pans. Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees F, or until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip. Cool completely.

For the whipped cream: whip the cream with the powdered sugar and cocoa powder with the wire whisk until firm.