Chocolate Sheet Cake

This is a recipe that I use all the time for birthdays and I thought I would try it in ‘sheet cake form which should make it easier.  It is everything a birthday cake should be, rich, spongy and most important, chocolatey! 

I didn’t have ground almonds so I improvised and bought half roasted almonds and roasted hazelnuts.  I mixed them in the blender to a flour consistency and the roasted nuts added a wonderful extra depth to the cake.  Maybe you could find some almond flour and then just blend the hazelnuts or do all almond flour.  Totally up to you!  With the hazelnuts, it gives the cake a Ferrero Roche flavour. 

This same recipe would also work if you divided the batter between 2 11inch cakes tins and would bake for about 30 minutes.  

NOTE: the icing also is amazing for a chocolate sauce with ice cream!

Ingredients:

Gluten-Free
Serves 10

340g nut flour (I blended half roasted hazelnuts and half almonds (with skins))

6 tbsp raw cacao powder (you can use cocoa powder but use a 70% good quality one. You won’t get quite as strong a flavour with cocoa though.)

9 medium eggs, separated: 1 bowl with 7 yolks + 2 whole eggs / one bowl with 7 whites 

390g unrefined caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

Pinch of sea salt

For the icing:

400ml double cream

120g unrefined caster sugar

220g good quality dark chocolate broken into pieces, 70% cocoa 

1.5 tbsp unsalted butter, chopped into pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp Grand Marnier / Amaretto (optional) 

How To Make Your Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees (Celsius) and butter and line a deep baking tray with baking parchment.  Mine was 26cm by 37cm and about 5cm high.  You could use a square one if you prefer just make sure it is deep enough.

In a large mixing bowl add the 7 yolks and 2 whole eggs and lightly whisk together.  Then add the ground nuts, vanilla, almond extract, sea salt and mix until just combined. 

Add the 7 egg whites into a cake mixer or use an electric whisk to bring them to light peaks.  Continue whisking and then add the sugar slowly until all is combined and turn off the machine.  The whites should hold but not be very stiff. 

Using a spatular, add a third of the whites to the yolk-nut batter and fold together.  The mix will be a little sticky so you don’t have to be too delicate with it. 

Once it is mixed in, you can add the second third and be a little more gentle with the folding to keep the air in the mix.  Continue with the last of the whites until just combined, try not to over-mix. 

Gently pour batter evenly into the tray and place into the oven for around 25-30 minutes until the top is firm but still springy.  A skewer inserted should come out fairly clean.  Leave to cool completely!

While the cake is baking you can start on the icing.  Place the chocolate pieces into a heatproof bowl.  Then add the cream and sugar into a saucepan on medium heat and mix. 

Allow the sugar to dissolve and the cream should just start to simmer but not boil.  Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate.

  Leave for 30 seconds and then stir until the chocolate has completely melted.  Then add the butter and mix. 

Stir in the vanilla and liquor if using and leave to cool completely and set.  This method is a nice easy way to make sure that you get a good shine on your icing.

When both cake and icing are cool, spread over the chocolate and top with some almond flakes if you fancy! 

This cake keeps well for about 3-4 days in a cool dry place but not the fridge.