Ground Almond Cake with Chocolate Drizzle
Tender, moist almond cake made with ground almonds and margarine, baked low and slow until golden. Topped with flaked almonds and a smooth chocolate drizzle. Light, nutty crumb with chocolate contrast.
Ingredients
- 16 tbsp margarine or butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups soft brown sugar, or white superfine sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cups self raising flourall purpose flour plus baking powder125g flour + 1.5tsp baking powdertexture
self raising flour contains leavening agent
Full guide → - 6 oz ground almonds
- 1 oz flaked almonds, or roughly chopped whole almonds
- ¼ cups milk or dark chocolate
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 150 degrees Fan assisted. Grease and line the base and sides of an 8 inch deep sided loose bottom cake tin or spring form cake pan with baking parchment.
- 2
Beat the margarine or butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until lighter in colour and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- 3
Add the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour between each egg to prevent curdling.
- 4
Add the remaining flour, almond extract, and ground almonds. Mix until well combined.
- 5
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and scatter the flaked almonds over the top.
- 6
Bake in the centre of the oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until golden in colour, testing the centre with a skewer until it comes out clean.
- 7
Leave the cake in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cake rack to cool completely.
- 8
While the cake cools, melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water until smooth with no lumps.
- 9
Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the cake in a zig zag pattern. Scatter any remaining flaked almonds over the chocolate before it sets.
- 10
Wait until the chocolate has set and the cake has cooled completely before slicing.
Tips
Add flour between each egg to help prevent the batter from curdling.
Bake slowly at low temperature to keep the cake moist and tender.
Test the cake with a skewer from the centre; it should come out clean when done.
Let the cake cool completely before applying the chocolate drizzle so it sets evenly.
Good to Know
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Bake the cake one day ahead and store covered. Apply chocolate drizzle on the day of serving.
Slice and serve at room temperature. Pairs well with tea or coffee.
Common Mistakes
Do not add all eggs at once to prevent the batter from curdling; add with flour between each egg.
Do not overbake; use the skewer test to avoid a dry cake.
Do not slice until the chocolate has completely set to prevent smudging.
Do not skip cooling the cake completely before applying chocolate or it may melt unevenly.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Nut-Free Alternatives
General Alternatives
affects colour and texture slightly
self raising flour contains leavening agent
Full guide →