Wonderful Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 100 g Dark chocolate (For the cake batter)
• 150 g Butter (Plus extra for greasing the pan)
• Salt (A pinch)
• 1 tbsp Cognac (Can substitute with rum, amaretto, or orange liqueur)
• 4 Egg yolks (Large)
• 4 Egg whites (Large)
• 190 g Dark brown sugar (Can use panela sugar, or 170g white sugar)
• 30 g Cocoa powder
• 80 g Cornstarch (Can substitute with potato starch or a mix of both)
• 120 g Ground almonds (Almond meal)
• 4 g Baking powder (One level teaspoon)
• 60 g Dark chocolate (For the ganache)
• 70 g Heavy cream (For the ganache)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) using the turbo (convection) setting.

2. 2

   Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake pan with butter or oil.

3. 3

   In a small saucepan over low heat (or in a microwave-safe bowl), melt 100g dark chocolate, 150g butter, a pinch of salt, and a capful of cognac (or your chosen liqueur). Stir until smooth and unified, then set aside for a few minutes to cool slightly.

4. 4

   Add 4 egg yolks to the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until well combined.

5. 5

   In a separate bowl, whip 4 egg whites with 190g dark brown sugar for about 5-6 minutes until a thick, stable foam forms.

6. 6

   Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped egg whites.

7. 7

   Sift 30g cocoa powder, 80g cornstarch (or potato starch), and 4g baking powder into a bowl. Add 120g ground almonds and mix well to ensure no lumps remain.

8. 8

   Gently fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate-egg mixture. The volume will decrease, but try to maintain as much airiness as possible.

9. 9

   Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 35 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out dry in most parts but slightly moist/wet towards the center.

10. 10

    Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate.

11. 11

    To make the ganache, melt 60g dark chocolate with 70g heavy cream, being careful not to let it boil. Stir until smooth and pour over the cooled cake.

12. 12

    Let the cake stabilize in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. It can be served at room temperature or cold.

Notes

Baking times vary by pan: if using a bundt pan, loaf pan, or 22cm pan, check after 25 minutes. If using potato starch instead of cornstarch, the cake may bake faster (check at 28 minutes). For a cake you intend to slice and fill, bake for an extra 2 minutes until the center is fully set.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• chocolate
• gluten-free
• passover
• baked
• vegetarian