Five Spice Chocolate Cake

Vanns Spice Blends
Chinese Five Spice Powder

7 oz. fine-quality unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
6 oz. fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1-1/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons Chinese Five-Spice powder
2-1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
6 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 10" by 2" round cake pan. Line bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper.
   
Put chocolate in a large shallow bowl. Bring water, 1/2 cup sugar, and spice to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then pour through a fine sieve set over chocolate. Stir until smooth, then stir in butter until smooth.
     
Beat eggs with remaining 3/4 cup sugar until increased in volume and pale and beaters leave a distinct trail (4 to 5 minutes in a standing mixer or 15 to 20 with a handheld). Stir 1/4 of eggs into chocolate to lighten and fold in remainder gently but thoroughly (fold 1 to 2 minutes).
     
Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Put pan in a water bath and bake in middle of oven 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs adhering. Remove from water bath and cool 2 hours in pan on a rack.
       
Unmold cake by running a thin knife around edge, then heating pan 5 to 10 seconds on a burner set at moderately low. Invert cake plate over pan and flip cake pan over so cake comes out on plate. (If cake sticks, tap bottom of pan with a knife handle. If that doesn't work, heat pan again.) Peel off paper.
     
Serve cake in thin slices.