Mother's Day recipe: The Caker's flourless chocolate and coffee cake

The Caker
Jordan Rondel has come up with a delicious recipe you can whip up for mum. Photo credit: Supplied.

As all the days are blending into one, you may not be aware that this coming Sunday is Mother's Day. We can pretty much guarantee one person who hasn't forgotten is your mum.

It's a tough time to celebrate at the moment, especially if your mum or mother-figure isn't in your bubble. With the lockdown hopefully moving to level 2 in the coming weeks, there will be plenty of time for a coffee catch-up or trip together soon. 

But if your mum lives nearby, dropping off some baking to her doorstep is a loving gesture that won't put a strain on the already maxed-out postal services. Plus it means you can get your lockdown baking fix without having to actually eat yet another cake yourself - a tragedy. 

Our pick is this Nespresso coffee and chocolate cake recipe from Jordan Rondel, the woman behind Auckland bakery The Caker. It doesn't even require flour if you've used up your stash during lockdown. 

"I love this simple recipe because it's not too sweet and lets the flavours of the chocolate and coffee sing," says Rondel. "Being flourless, this cake is naturally gluten-free and it keeps really well if stored properly."

We recommend cutting a slice for yourself before dropping it off and enjoying over a coffee and cake FaceTime date with mum on Sunday. 

For the cake:

  • 200g dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa solids)
  • 175g unsalted butter 
  • Espresso shot of Nespresso Cocoa Truffle (or any flavour you have on hand)
  • 70g soft brown sugar or coconut sugar 
  • 4 eggs
  • 200g ground almonds

For the topping:

  • 1 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Fresh flowers (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in a saucepan over low heat until fully melted. Set aside to cool.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cooled chocolate mixture with the shot of coffee and sugar. One by one add the eggs, mixing between each addition. Finally, mix in the ground almonds.
  4. Pour into the tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes. The cake is ready once firm to the touch and a knife inserted comes out clean.
  5. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
  6. Once the cake is fully cooled, dust over some cocoa powder and a sprinkling of sea salt. Decorate with fresh flowers if desired. 
  7. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to three days.