Italian Flourless Chocolate Nut Cake

This fabulous recipe for chocolate cake is made with ground almonds instead of flour--one of my favorites that everyone can enjoy.

On the Sweet Savvy website I already have posted a Wheat-free Flourless French Chocolate Cake that has no nuts, and a Wheat-free Flourless Nut Cake that has no chocolate, so I thought I would come full circle with this flourless cake with chocolate and nuts!

This recipe calls for 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate. I suggest using your favorite brand of semisweet chocolate bar sweeted with evaporated cane juice (such as Dagoba or Green and Black's), available at all natural food stores or see Debra's List Chocolate Page.

makes 8 servings

For the pan:
1 tablespoon butter, softened
cocoa powder

For the cake:
12 tablespoons butter (1-1/2 sticks), softened
6 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup powdered unrefined cane sugar (sold as "organic powdered sugar")
6 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups finely ground almonds (with or without skins)
1 tablespoon brandy
2 pinches salt
more powdered evaporated cane juice to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Grease the bottom and sides of an 11" springform pan and dust with cocoa powder.
3. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Set aside to cool.
4. Beat butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
5. Gradually add the evaporated cane juice and beat for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition.
7. Add the melted and cooled chocolate, beat just enough to blend.
8. Stir in the almonds and brandy, and set aside.
9. Beat the egg whites and salt in another bowl with an electric mixer until they form medium-stiff peaks.
10. Add one-third of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and fold together with a rubber spatula. Do the same with another third, then repeat with the last third, taking care not to deflate the batter.
11. Pour into the prepared pan.
12. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
13. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside to cool.
14. Unmold and remove from pan.
15. Dust with powdered unrefined cane sugar just before serving. And garnish with Whipped Cream and seaonal fruit if you'd like.