flourless dark chocolate cake

I wouldn’t call myself a devoted observer of Valentines day (don’t judge me), but I will get behind a holiday that grants me an excuse to eat cake, or chocolate, or better yet, a chocolate cake. I’ve grown to love King Arthur Flour’s flourless chocolate cake (ironic, yes?) with a few small modifications- the main change being that I do not add a layer of ganache on top (they do). Before you stomp away and un-follow my blog, hear me out. It was just too much chocolate, even for this chocolate lover. But once I nixed the ganache, I could go back to my whole-slice-of-cake gluttony. Plus, the vanilla bean whipped cream and macerated raspberries bring a delightful balance and a touch of tartness that temper the richness of the cake nicely. Quite a good reason to celebrate Valentine’s day, in my opinion!

FLOURLESS DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE
cake recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

cake:
175g/6 oz good quality dark chocolate
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/2 cup (43g) cocoa powder

vanilla bean whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
seeds of 1 vanilla bean

raspberry topping:
8 ounces fresh raspberries
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2.  Melt the chocolate and butter together very slowly- I used a double boiler but you can also use a microwave or a small pot directly on the stove. Whichever method you choose, the key is to use a very low heat and stir frequently. Remove the bowl/pot from heat source immediately when butter and chocolate are melted together.
3. If you have extra room in the same bowl you used to melt the chocolate, continue with that bowl for the next step. If you are tight on space, transfer the chocolate and butter to a medium mixing bowl. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Next, add the eggs and beat the batter with a whisk by hand for approximately 30 seconds, until batter is well combined. Gently mix in the cocoa powder, and pour into your prepared pan.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F: 18-20 min for a 9 inch pan, and 20-22 min for an 8 inch. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in to the center comes out clean.
5. While your cake is baking, put the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small to medium bowl. Toss them well, for approximately 1 minute. Set aside and let the raspberries macerate for at least 30 minutes.
6. After the cake is baked, let it cool in the pan for approximately 15 minutes. Then, run a knife along the edge of the cake, turn it over onto a cake platter, remove the parchment paper from the top, and let it cool completely. When ready to serve, whip together the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of cake with a dollop of whipped cream and a spoonful of raspberries.

The cake should keep well in an airtight container for a couple days.