“A party without cake is just a meeting.”- Julia Child. Today’s recipe I cannot take any credit for. It is straight from the pages of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” by Julia Child. I wanted to channel one of my heroes and bake something sweet; like usual. This Cake I baked for a family picnic. You can never go wrong with chocolate cake!
Today I Baked Julia Child’s Chocolate Almond Cake. This cake has a rich taste of chocolate and coffee and a crunch of almond. Though the cake had almond flour and almond extract in it, it just enhanced the chocolate flavor. Using a unique technique to add a lightness to this cake, you separate the eggs and whip the whites until they form peaks and then mix into the batter. Also, in the same hand, you bake it just until it is set. This gives it a light yet almost fudgy consistency. Enjoy!
“No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”- Julia Child.
FOR THE CAKE:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons rum or coffee
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (132 grams) + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
- 3 large eggs, separated
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup (35 grams) almond flour/meal
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup (57 grams) cake flour, sifted
FOR THE ICING:
- 4 ounces (113 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) rum or coffee
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Slivered almonds, for garnish
TO MAKE THE CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
- Combine the chopped chocolate and coffee or run in a small bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir as the chocolate melts and remove from heat as soon as it’s smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and 2/3 cup sugar until pale and creamy. Add the 3 egg yolks and beat until thick. Add the cooled melted chocolate. Stir in the almond extract and almond meal/flour and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl and with a whisk attachment, whip the 3 egg whites and salt on high speed until foamy. Slowly add the tablespoon of sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
- Add 1/4 of the whipped egg whites to the batter and fold gently until combined. Add and fold in the remaining whites in 3 additions, alternating with the sifted cake flour. Fold only until the streaks of egg whites disappear, do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles when the pan is bumped, about 25 minutes.
- Let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to remove cake from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE ICING:
- Combine the chopped chocolate and coffee or rum in a small bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir as the chocolate melts and remove from heat as soon as it’s smooth.
- Add the butter a tablespoon at a time and use a whisk to beat it into the chocolate. Whisk until smooth.
- Let the icing cool to a spreadable consistency, stirring it every 5 minutes or so. It should take about 15-20 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Spoon the icing on top of the cooled cake and spread it to cover. Garnish with slivered almonds.
Potts Boiling Over 
ahhh—looks good! May have to try this out!
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What’s cake flour? Is it plain or self rising? I like the look of the ingredients. I imagine from watching ‘Julie and Julia’ that all her recipes were rich. This cake sounds doable.,
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Cake flower is the lightest. Lowest amount of protein. (I honesty bought a box a while ago Bc I didn’t know the difference and needed it for a recipe so I had it on hand) lol.
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