Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

This a constant birthday request. So it's pretty much the only time I make these. Which is a good thing, because they're so rich you'd only want to have them a couple times a year.


(Makes 1 cake, or 12 cupcakes)

160g good quality 70% dark chocolate
160 unsalted butter
5 eggs, separated
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup almond meal
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt


50ml espresso shot (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 160 Celsius. Grease a 22cm-round tin well. Or line cupcake tin with patty cases
2. Stir dark chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until chocolate is nearly all melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to return to room temperature. Add coffee in now if wanted
3. Beat egg yolks, vanilla and sugar, until pale and fluffy. Fold in melted chocolate and almond meal
4. Beat egg white and salt to soft peaks. Fold into chocolate batter in two batches. Pour into pan and bake for 45mins. Or 15-20mins for cupcakes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before icing. Try to avoid refrigerating this cake if possible. It tastes best at room temperature




Dark Chocolate Ganache


125g good quality dark chocolate
1/3 cup thickened cream


1. Melt ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth and glossy. Allow to come to room temperature before icing. Do not refrigerate before icing. 

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I found the original recipe for this cake in one of Mum's cookbooks, and changed it up a bit. Depending on my mood, I'll sometimes add roughly chopped chunks of chocolate to the cake batter before baking, to worsen the sin. Top with Vienna Almonds for a delicious flourish too.