Chocolate almond cake dusted with icing sugar, with a slice pulled away on the plate

Every time I think I’ve found the perfect chocolate cake, another recipe comes along and changes my mind. This time, it’s a chocolate almond cake with espresso. If you love dark chocolate as much as I do, put this one on your baking list. It’s hardcore. 😛

It has an intense chocolate flavor and a slightly moist center, and you can keep the decoration very simple. A little icing sugar, if you feel like it, and you’re done.

This is a cake that lets its ingredients do the talking. Dark chocolate, almond flour, and coffee give it its character, while a little care with folding and baking helps preserve the texture.

Why this chocolate almond cake is worth making

First, the chocolate. I used dark chocolate with 70% cocoa, and its flavor takes center stage. If you enjoy desserts where you can really taste the dark chocolate, without layers of cream getting in the way, this recipe is worth trying.

Almond flour completes the combination and is the only flour used in the batter. There’s no wheat-flour sponge waiting for a filling here. The cake is the whole dessert, right down to the last crumb.

Then there’s the slightly moist center. It’s an important part of this recipe and the reason to keep a close eye on the cake towards the end of baking. We don’t want to dry it out just when it’s almost ready, or treat it like a loaf cake where we might wait for a completely clean toothpick.

There’s also no need to prepare several separate components. It bakes in one pan, then you leave it to cool and slice it. No filling, no assembly, and no elaborate decoration that requires an entire afternoon.

Choosing the chocolate and coffee

For the chocolate, start with the type used in this recipe: dark chocolate with 70% cocoa. The percentage is a useful guide, but choose a chocolate you enjoy eating, too. It plays too big a role in this cake to use something you wouldn’t happily eat on its own.

A different cocoa percentage can change the balance between sweetness and bitterness. For a result close to the version shown here, I recommend sticking with the chocolate specified before experimenting with other varieties.

The word “espresso” can cause a little confusion. This recipe uses espresso powder or instant coffee granules, not a shot of brewed espresso. That distinction matters: brewed coffee also adds water to the batter, so it isn’t a direct substitute in the same quantity.

Keep the coffee in its dry form for this version. You’ll find the exact amount in the recipe card below, along with the rest of the ingredients.

Chocolate almond cake on a white plate, with a slice pulled away to reveal the inside

Helpful baking tips

Let the melted chocolate and butter cool slightly. The egg yolks need to blend into the mixture without scrambling on contact with very hot chocolate. You don’t need to wait until the chocolate starts setting; just make sure the mixture is no longer hot.

Fold gently once the egg whites are whipped. At this stage, you want to bring everything together while keeping as much of the incorporated air as possible. Use a spatula and stop when no visible streaks of egg white remain. Vigorous mixing won’t help here.

Use the pan size specified. The diameter affects the depth of the batter. If you use a larger or smaller pan, the baking time becomes a less reliable guide. For your first attempt, the recommended pan will make it easier to reproduce the result.

Watch the cake, not just the clock. Ovens vary, so the baking time is approximate. Checking towards the end helps you distinguish between an underbaked center and the slightly moist texture we’re aiming for.

Wait before dusting with icing sugar. The sugar is optional and keeps the decoration simple. Let the cake cool before adding it and before cutting the cake into slices.

Close-up of a chocolate almond cake slice showing the crumb beneath a dusting of icing sugar

Frequently asked questions

Does this recipe contain wheat flour?

No, it uses almond flour. However, the absence of wheat flour alone doesn’t guarantee that every cake made from this recipe will be suitable for a strict gluten-free diet. If that matters for you, check the labels of the other ingredients and avoid cross-contact during preparation.

What should the toothpick look like when the cake is ready?

A few moist crumbs are fine, but there shouldn’t be liquid, unbaked batter on it. Check the center of the cake and avoid extending the baking time just to get a completely dry toothpick. A slightly moist center is part of the intended texture.

Can I replace the almond flour with wheat flour?

I wouldn’t recommend a direct substitution in this recipe. They are different ingredients, and the change would affect the texture and balance of the batter. This version uses almond flour; I don’t have a tested wheat-flour adaptation to share.

Does the cake need a filling or glaze?

No. It’s intended to be served on its own once cooled, with an optional dusting of icing sugar. The chocolate is already in the batter, and simple decoration keeps the cake’s flavor at the center of attention.

Two slices of chocolate almond cake on a wooden board, with the remaining cake in the background

More chocolate and coffee recipes

If you enjoy chocolate and coffee together, here are three more recipes from the blog to try. From blondies without a filling to banana bread with ganache or a cake topped with white chocolate cream, each brings the combination to the table in a different way.

Chocolate Coffee Blondies — made with brown sugar, pieces of chocolate, and coffee in the batter. A good choice when you want something you can slice straight into bars, with no filling to prepare.

Coffee Cake with White Chocolate Cream — a coffee and cocoa sponge topped with white chocolate cream, for a contrast between the cocoa base and a sweet, creamy topping.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread — bananas, chocolate, and instant coffee in the batter, finished with chocolate ganache. Another recipe where coffee finds its place alongside chocolate.

Chocolate Almond Cake with Espresso

Recipe by Loredana Arion

Servings

slices

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories per slice

500

kcal

A dark chocolate cake made with almond flour and espresso powder, with an intense chocolate flavor and a slightly moist center.

Ingredients

240 g dark chocolate — I used Heidi with 70% cocoa
100 g butter
4 eggs, separated
200 g almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100 g sugar
1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
A pinch of salt
Icing sugar, for decoration, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Prepare a 20 cm / 8-inch round cake pan.
Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and melt them together over a pan of gently simmering water.
Remove the bowl from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly so it is no longer hot when you add the egg yolks.
Add the egg yolks, espresso powder or instant coffee, salt, and vanilla essence. Beat briefly until combined, then set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the sugar until foamy and whipped, and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the almond flour and baking powder to the egg whites and fold in gently with a spatula.
Gently fold the egg-white mixture into the chocolate mixture until combined.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Start checking with a toothpick after 25 minutes to avoid overbaking. The center should remain slightly moist, without liquid, unbaked batter.
Let the cake cool, then dust with icing sugar if desired.

Note

Calories are approximate and based on the cake being divided into 8 equal slices. Values may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used, as well as the size of each serving. The optional icing sugar topping is not included.