The Best Chocolate Cake
It’s moist. It’s dense. It’s chocolatey. And not too sweet. We enjoyed a variation of this recipe on Camille’s 1st birthday a million years ago. It has evolved to be less sweet, easier to put together, and free of gluten. Nut flours are a great option but make for a denser cake, which we like. Using a gluten-free flour blend and separating yolks and whites makes for a slightly lighter crumb. Feel free to increase the amount of sugar if you prefer a sweeter cake. We like the contrast of a not-too-sweet cake with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and/or dessert wine. Enjoy!
Ingredients
9.5 ounces 70-80% chocolate
1 pound unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (or substitute both sugars for 1 1/4 cups coconut palm sugar for a healthier version)
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup almond flour (sub with gluten-free flour blend or rice flour if avoiding nuts)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8” springform pan, then line with parchment and butter the parchment. Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over water on low heat. If the chocolate gets too hot, it becomes grainy. Whisk together until smooth. Add the sugars and whisk until incorporated. Add the almond flour and salt to the chocolate mixture. Beat the eggs and cream of tartar by hand or with a mixer until frothy, then fold into the chocolate mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Be careful not to overcook. Cool on a rack. Serve with sweetened whipped cream, the optional Almond Cardamom Topping, vanilla ice cream, and a glass of Villa Creek Neo Noir.
Almond Cardemom Topping (optional)
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
4 cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup cocoa nibs
Pinch of sea salt
Toast the almonds and crushed cardamom seeds over medium heat. When the nuts become aromatic, melt the butter in the middle of the pan and stir to incorporate. Sprinkle the sugar and salt on top and mix together until incorporated. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, watching carefully and stirring intermittently, as the sugar begins to caramelize. Let cool, break up the mixture, and stir in cocoa nibs. Sprinkle on top of the cake when serving.