Rich chocolate almond cake
This chocolate cake is perfect with an espresso at the end of a meal. It is very easy to make and keeps well for days.
Ingredients
- melted butter, for greasing the tin
- 250g/9oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 210g/7Β½ oz butter
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- 5 free-range eggs, beaten
- 75g/2Β½ oz ground almonds
For the chocolate glaze
- 200g/7oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 50ml/2fl oz milk
- 75g/2Β½ oz butter
- whisky, to taste (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
Butter the sides of a 23cm/9in diameter cake tin (or spring-form tin) and line the bottom with greaseproof paper. Place the chocolate, butter and sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Stir until smooth and melted,
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Beat in the eggs, and fold in the ground almonds.
Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for about 45mins, until the centre is just set. Allow to cool in the tin.
To make the chocolate glaze, in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Melt the chocolate, milk and butter together and stir until smooth. Stir in whisky, to taste. Allow to cool a little until it has thickened slightly (about 10 minutes) but do not place in the fridge as it will lose its glossy sheen.
Take the cooled cake out of the tin and place on a plate or cake stand, and pour the glaze over the top, letting it drizzle down the sides.
Recipe Tips
If you prefer, you can dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder, or icing sugar, instead of the chocolate glaze.
