Caprese Cake is one of the most loved traditional Italian Chocolate Cake originated from the beautiful Capri Island. It's gluten-free - made with almond flour instead of wheat flour and without baking powder too - so it's also perfect if you're celiac or following a gluten-free diet.Its texture is incredibly moist, fudgy and rich inside, with slightly crispy edges. The oringin story of Torta Caprese is fascinating but controversial too: one legend said that the cake was created in 1920 by pastry chef Carmine Di Fiore. He forgot to put the flour in an almond cake ordered by some tourists (or criminals too!): a delicacy came out of it and became famous all over the world.The second legend said that it was created for Maria Carolina D'Asburgo, the Austrian Napoli king's wife, to equal the Sacher Cake.The traditional Caprese Cake's ingredients are always 5: almond flour, sugar, chocolate, butter and eggs. In many traditional Italian recipes the addition of a liquor like Rum or the Italian Strega liquor and a hint of orange zest is used too! Since the ones I had in Capri had both Rum than orange zest, I added to my recipe too: feel free to skip them.
120 g(4,2 oz)dark chocolatehigh quality chocolate bar
120 g(1/2 cup+1 tbsp)unsalted butter
120 g(1/2 cup+1 tbsp)caster sugaror granulated white sugar
3eggsroom temperature, medium-large size
185 g(2 cups)almond flour
The zest from 1/2 orangeoptional
12 g(1 tbsp)Rum liquoroptional, you can skip it or substitute it with orange juice
Powdered sugarfor dusting
Instructions
In a mediun size heat-proof bowl place chopped chocolate, butter and melt over bain marie until melted. You can use microwave to melt instead of bain-marie, just pay attention to stop it often and stir to avoid burning chocolate. Set aside the melted mix to slightly cool down.
In a large bowl place 3 egg whites and start whipping until white foamy.
Add in 3-4 times 40 g (3 tbsp) of caster sugar and keep on mixing the egg whites at high speed until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a large bowl place 3 egg yolks, 80 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar, the orange zest and mix with a hand mixer until become thick and pale (at least 4-5 minutes).
Incorporate the melted chocoalte mix and mix until well combined.
Add Rum and almond flour folding gently with a spatula until well combined (you get a thick paste).
Incorporate with a spatula 1/3 of egg whites mix into yolk mix to soften it. Then gently fold the remaining egg whites mix: be gentle to not deflat the mix.
Prepare the mold: grease, dust with sweetened cocoa powder and line with parchment paper on the bottom a conic 18-20cm (7-8inch) aluminium cake pan. You can use a 18 cm (7 inch) springform pan instead.
Bake in static oven (no fan, upper+lower heat) at 180°C-350°F for 30-35 minutes. The cake is ready when starts cracking a bit on top, made a dry crust but the center is still moist: a toothpick comes out moist and NOT dry and completely clean!
Cool down at room temperature into the pan. The cake is fragile, don't unmold when still hot or you can break it.
Unmold the cake: if you used a conic pan, the smaller side should be the top.