Dark chocolate cake with caramelized almonds, a cake that you will love if you are a fan of dark chocolate and contrasting flavors.
This dark chocolate cake is really a temptation that you should not resist. It is moist, but without syrup. This cake is sweet, but not to much. It is also playful, without losing its seriousness. It’s the cake you have to bake, for no particular reason.
Recipe notes
First you need to be careful not to eat it all in one day. Otherwise although it may look complicated it is not.
You will need to pay attention to one thing: that is time. Time combined with temperatures. I am referring mainly to the temperature of the cakes. As it is the first thing you have to do in order to let them cool completely. You do not want to add your buttercream to a warm cake. Believe me, you do not want.
I will give you a tip. Bake the cakes the night before. This way you will be sure that they will have cooled down, while the whole process will be more relaxed. At least that’s what I did.
Almost forgot! You can also caramelize the almonds the night before.
Dark chocolate cake with caramelized almonds
Why to use sour milk?
In the majority of my cake recipes, as well as other recipes such as my recipe for pancakes, I use sour milk instead of milk. That’s why the combination of sour milk and soda make the needed reactions and bubbles appeared. As a result, the cake was airy and fluffy.
If you do not have sour milk, you can substitute it with regular milk. You just need to add a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the milk. Leave it aside for 5 minutes and here it is.
Is there any substitution for brewed coffee?
If you are not a coffee lover, then you can substitute brewed coffee with an equal amount of hot water.
Can I substitute almonds?
For me the addition of caramelized almonds is almost necessary, as it satisfies my need for contrasting flavors. Contrast like this between velvety buttercream and crispy almond. As well as, the contrast deriving from the saltiness of the almonds.
Of course if you do not like them you can replace them with another nut, or remove them completely.
Can I bake this recipe in a cake bundt?
Personally, as you can see, I preferred to make the cake as a birthday cake. If you want you may experiment and bake it in a large cake bundt pan. But you should reduce the quantity to 2/3, and at the same time to increase the baking time.
Dark chocolate cake with caramelized salted almonds
Ingredients
- 520 gr all purpose flour
- 510 gr granulated sugar
- 140 gr cacao powder
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 large eggs
- 450 ml sour milk
- 125 ml vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 300 ml brewed coffee
- 75 gr dark chocolate, finely chopped
For the caramelized almonds
- 75 ml water
- 150 gr granulated sugar
- 150 gr almonds, salted
For the chocolate buttercream
- 225 gr butter, in room temperature
- 320 gr powdered sugar
- 125 gr cacao powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 ml heavy cream
For the dark chocolate ganache
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 100 gr dark chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter three 23 cm cake rounds, dust with cacao powder and tap out the excess.
- Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer until combined.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until smooth.
- In another bowl, stir hot brewed coffee and finely chopped chocolate until mixed. Add the chocolate cream to the mixture.
- Divide batter among the three pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn out the cakes onto the racks and allow to cool completely for about 2 hours.
For the caramelized almonds
- Place a nonstick pan over medium heat.Add the water and sugar and bring to a boil.Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat and add the almonds.
- Stir with a spatula until the sugar hardens and crystallizes over the almonds.
- Place pan back over medium heat and cook until they turn golden brown and the sugar melts.
- Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper and allow to cool completely. When ready, by using a sharp knife finely chop them and add the to the chocolate butter cream.
For the chocolate buttercream
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat butter with a mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder and heavy cream. Using a rubber spatula stir the ingredients until somewhat incorporated in order to avoid ending up with a big cloud of powdered sugar and cocoa in the air. Then turn on the mixer and mix.
- Mix for 3-5 minutes, or until the buttercream looks creamy, fluffy and smooth. Keep covered at room temperature until ready to use.
For the dark chocolate ganache
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it boils.
- Add the chopped dark chocolate to a bowl and then add the hot heavy cream. Stir until all the pieces are melted.
- Set aside. Have in mind that the ganache is liquid when it is hot, while when it cools it stabilizes.
Assembly
- Place first cake layer onto a serving plate. Top with about a cup of buttercream, spreading it evenly over the cake layer using an offset spatula. Top with second cake layer, and frost with another cup of buttercream. Top with final cake layer.
- Reserve about half a cup of buttercream, then frost the entire cake with the remaining buttercream, scraping the sides of the cake with a bench scraper so that the cake layers show through the frosting.
- Pour the dark chocolate ganache over top.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill thoroughly for at least 1 hour.
I would be thrilled to hear from you. Even more, if you make my recipe and post a photo of it. Just don’t forget to share your photo under the hashtag #tetisflakes. Please do not hesitate to comment below or contact me on Instagram, or Facebook or Twitter!
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