Gluten Free Almond Chocolate Cake
This is a moist, light and easy to make Gluten Free Almond and Chocolate Cake. My family have been making this cake recipe for years and it is so popular that when we serve it, it vanishes in minutes and I always forget to take a photo.
I love recipes that don’t make people with eating restrictions feel conspicuous or lead them to have a sub-standard alternative option. This cake is a winner amongst gluten-free friends and is loved equally by chocoholics.
The cake has a not-too-sweet chocolate flavour and a crumbly and light texture. Using a good quality 70% chocolate is a must though. Lower cocoa solids will not give you the deep chocolate flavour you need and can seize when melting.
This gluten-free almond cake is versatile and don’t we all need versatile recipes at this time? We have served the cake in many different ways and it sits wonderfully in many lanes. Here are a few ideas:
- This makes a wonderful, after any meal, dessert – lunch or dinner and even treat after brunch.
- Served with a sprinkling of icing sugar and a pile of your favourite berries in summer. Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries all work well.
- Simply cut a slice and add a dollop of cream or creme fraiche for a coffee/tea with friends.
- A lovely cake to have in the house for pop-in visitors or a planned event like a coffee morning, it stays fresh for a couple of days.
- This makes great sweet canapé squares, bake the mixture in a square tin, and cut the cake into small pieces. Add a dollop or pipe a little cream onto the square (this is best done just before serving) and add your favourite berry on top. A delicious mouthful that will look amazing.
- A birthday cake for a gluten-free friend, they will love this cake, pile it high with fruit or ice it and pipe their name on top. Everyone loves seeing their name on a cake, irrespective of age.
- This cake travels well, keep the cake in its springform tin and cover and wrapped. Remove from the tin and place on your serving plate.
- This is a great addition to your picnic table.
- A square popped into a lunch box as a special treat is always appreciated.
As you can imagine the structure is delicate, as the fabric of the cake is built on fine almonds and held together with the whipped eggs and chocolate. All too often Gluten Free Cakes are heavy almost, hard in texture and compact in structure. Some really are a poor cake offering, this cake, however, will wow in taste and no one will know it is gluten-free.
- 4 organic eggs, at room temperature
- 170g 70% chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 170g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup ground almonds, press down to compact
- 150 grams granulated caster/white sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
- Grease a 20cm x 8cm springform round tin or two 15cm springform Victoria sponge cake tins and line with baking paper. One can be frozen for future use.
- Microwave chocolate and butter melting option:
- Melt the butter and the chocolate in the microwave.
- Be careful not to overcook the chocolate. If it looks like it has seized keep stirring it will come back.
- Stovetop chocolate and butter melting option:
- Stove Top Method
- In a double boiler constantly stir until melted.
- Set the chocolate bowl aside and place it on a cooling rack while you prepare the cake batter. You need the chocolate to cool slightly so it doesn't cook the eggs when they are added to the cake.
- Separate the eggs, adding the egg whites to your beaters bowl.
- Beat the whites first, until stiff peaks, remove from the mixing bowl and set aside.
- You can use the same mixing bowl for the egg yolks (never the other way around though, the yolks will not allow the egg whites to stiffen).
- Beat the egg yolks and sugar together, until the yolks are pale and almost tripled in volume, add the vanilla essence and the salt and beat again until incorporated.
- Gently fold the ground almonds into the egg yolk mixture.
- Add a tablespoon of the beaten egg whites to the yolk mixture to slacken the chocolate almond mixture.
- Then fold in the egg whites until just mixed, you should still see a little egg white in the cake batter.
- Pour the mixture, it will be very loose, into the prepared tin(s).
- Bake a whole cake for 40 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean) and the two Victoria sponge tins will take about 20-25 minutes to cook or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool on a cooling rack and enjoy warm or cold.
Remove 2-6 hours before needed depending on your ambient temperature. Or defrost in your fridge overnight
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