Is this decadent chocolate cake recipe heaven in the making? This triple-tested cake is inspired by the Austrian Sachertorte which uses almonds and breadcrumbs instead of flour and uses apricot jam in the ganache recipe.
(8oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
225g
(8oz) golden caster sugar
225g
(8oz) ground almonds
8
large eggs, separated
125g
(4oz) fresh brown breadcrumbs
4Tbsp.
apricot jam, optional
For the Ganache
175g
dark chocolate, broken into pieces
75g
butter, softened
4Tbsp.
double cream, warmed
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) mark 4. Grease and line a 23cm (9in) springform cake tin.
Step 2
Melt the chocolate by putting it into a heatproof bowl resting over a pan of just-boiled water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Remove melted chocolate from the heat.
Step 3
Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until light and creamy. Add the ground almonds, egg yolks and breadcrumbs, and beat well until mixed together thoroughly. Slowly add the chocolate and carefully stir it in, taking care not to over-mix as the chocolate may seize up.
Step 4
Put the egg whites into a clean, grease-free bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Add half the whites to the chocolate mixture and fold in lightly using a large metal spoon, then carefully fold in the remainder.
Step 5
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 1hr 20min or until the cake is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5min then transfer to a rack for 2-3hr to cool completely.
Step 6
If using, put the jam into a pan and melt over a low heat or heat in a 900W microwave on medium for 50sec. Brush jam over the top and sides of the cooled cake.
Step 7
To make the ganache, put the chocolate, butter and cream into a bowl and rest it over a pan of hot water as in step 2. When it has melted, stir the mixture just once until smooth - too much stirring at this stage will over-thicken it. To ice the cake, either raise it off the worktop on the upturned tin or put it (still on the rack) on to a tray to catch the drips. Pour the ganache over the centre and tip the cake to let it run down the sides evenly or spread it with a palette knife.
Indulge with more of our favourite chocolate recipes
Ground almonds and breadcrumbs replace the flour, while beaten egg whites folded in at the end help to make it light. A thin layer of apricot jam adds a fruity tang to the rich, glossy chocolate ganache icing
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
