First up. Let me explain why this cake. Anyone who knows me knows I hate dessert. Not hate exactly, but if it comes to ordering the Tarte aux Pommes or Crème Brûlée at a restaurant, I prefer looking up the cheese selection. Even better, let me flick a few pages back and pore over the starters again: grilled squid, pan-fried scallops, croquetas… Imagining these small plates takes me back to the anticipatory thrill of seating yourself down at a table, excited by the unknown – ready to open that first bottle and savour that first sip.
But! I have a huge love for chocolate (why doesn’t everyone serve a discreet square of dark chocolate with coffee like they do in France?) – and many years ago, to mark a very important occasion, I stumbled upon this recipe.
To be honest, it was the first time I’d ever made a cake. For the first time in my life, I had a sincere desire to bake because our baby Lilas (our first and only child) was about to turn one. It was an important, necessary task. There HAD to be a cake!
So here’s the recipe, and apart from reducing the cooking time and adding more chocolate than the original recipe, we have served this same cake for many birthdays since Lilas’ ‘premier anniversaire’.
(p.s. I have not ever since added the brandy or coffee. For me, spare the confusion, I adore savouring each one on their own)
(p.p.s. If you are a lover of wine like me, you’ll find this cake is a beautiful companion to wine, be it a sticky, sweet Rivesaltes-style dessert wine, a lovely red, a fresh white and why not, a glass of bubbles. There’s a pretty damn good one that I like to match it with too…
(adapted from Stephanie Alexander’s Chocolate and Almond Cake)
ingredients:
140g dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher )
100g unsalted butter
100g ground (flour) almonds
100g castor sugar
3 eggs, separated
icing sugar (optional for sprinkling)
method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius
Line a 18cm baking tin with baker paper
Melt the chocolate on the stove in a double-boiler/ bain-marie
When chocolate has melted add the butter
Stir together when melted and then add almond flour and sugar, mix well
Remove from heat
Lightly beat egg yolks and stir into mixture
Beat egg whites until firm and then fold slowly into mixture, pour into tin
Bake for 25-30 minutes for a softish centre (the original recipe says 40-45 minutes but I find the cake is dry and too cake-like)
Cool in tin and then remove
Serve with a dusting of icing sugar or surrounded by fresh strawberries or raspberries …and some sweet or sparkling wine 😺
Et voila!
Kat xoxo
The Vigneron's Wife 
Yum, can’t wait to try. GF TOOxxAPxx
A perfect cake for you Auntie Paul!! Miss you xo
Hi Kat,
Well, there I was refreshing my memory on your delicious sounding cake, when I clocked your lovely photo of a six spotted burnet moth. Very nice indeed!
Oh thanks Helene! I am glad you liked that : )
Kat, that’s what I call a good recipe! I like simple and quick, and it looks delicious.
Thank you so much Helene! Yes, simple and delicious : )
Hey Kat. Good to see you back! So beautiful spring over there. Your Chocolate Almond Cake looks yummy. Thank you for sharing. Will definitely have a go to make this ‘not too cake-like’ cake (*^_^*)… Yep, totally agree it is the bonus to have a glass of lovely bubbles on top of it…. xxx
Hi Mabel!! So good to hear from you in Oz. I’m glad you like the idea of this not too cake-like cake ; ) Sendning love to you over there xo
Great post Kat! I love that you are back at it and I will definitely make that cake! The photos are beautiful as always and little Lilas in front of her cake… that sweet face!
Hey Jen! It’s good to be back! I hope you do give it a try – you are the best baker of desserts in the hood! xo
I love a good chocolate cake, and without flour I love it even more!! Also love the size of your wine glass!! 😉 Hope you’ve been keeping well during the confinement!
Hi Andreas! I hope you are very well over in beautiful St Chinian! We’ve been going well here during the confinement, thankfully the Nature has been a huge support and I feel lucky to have it on our doorstep. I hope you are doing okay overe there too! xo
I can not imagine a more well suited partnership than dark chocolate and a semi sweet white wine one that dances in your mouth like a soul ballad
Thanks a lot Denise. That sounds beautiful ; )
That sounds gorgeous even though like you I would normally go for the cheese ! I will give it a try when we are allowed out again.
Oh good Ian! Another cheese lover! Hope you get to bake it sometime soon ; )
So pleased I found your blog, Kat, and great to see you both this evening supporting Jen.
This cake of yours looks and sounds amazing, I’ll be trying it next weekend. I was wondering if Mr D would consider making a sweet Maury? It would go perfectly with this chocolate cake!
Best,
Mags (NW Angel)
Thanks a lot Mags! And yes, it was so exciting to see Jen and Didier last night (and see their wines go!)! Really pleased you’re going to give my chocolate cake a try! And will pass on the request to Mr D about a sweet wine : )….. Have a great day xo
Hi there Mags! I have good news, there IS a sweet wine now to enjoy with this chocolate cake – Ben has made a fortified Rivesaltes Grenache and it is deelicious! ; )
i made this and we all LOVED IT!! what a terrific recipe!! thank you so much for sharing. we will be making this again and again as time goes by. and YES! it does pair well with a nice glass of wine!! particularly nice with something your husband has made! THANK YOU!
Hi there Nancy! I am so sorry I hadn’t seen your message!! – it’s a lovely message to have from you, thank you : ) I am SO pleased your cake turned out well. Thank you for letting me know 🙏!
I’vd never baked a cake before either, but you have sold me on this, I will give it a try. Sounds great thanks.
Bob B
Oh this is great Robert! I am really happy to know that I have : ) I hope it works beautifully