-
1
Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high power for 1-2 minutes.
-
2
Remove and stir until smooth.
-
3
Dissolve the coffee powder in the brandy and add to the chocolate mixture.
-
4
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks with the sugar until light and thick.
-
5
Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture then stir through the flour and almond meal.
-
6
Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the remaining 1 tablespoon castor sugar. Continue to beat until firm but not dry.
-
7
Gently fold 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest.
-
8
Pour into a lined 22cm cake pan.
-
9
Cake can also be baked in a kugelhopf pan - make sure you liberally butter the pan and dust with a mixture of cocoa, flour & castor sugar (about 1 t of each). baking time about 40 minutes.
-
10
Bake in a preheated 160 degree celcius oven for about 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean (leave the cake slightly undercooked for a fudgey centre).
-
11
Leave to cool for 5 minutes before unmoulding onto a wire rack to cool.
-
12
Dust with icing sugar before serving.
-
13
Delicious served slightly warm with vanilla ice-cream or cream and strawberries or cherries.
-
14
Cooled cake can also be covered with whipped fresh cream and decorated with fresh strawberries and mixed berries (the frozen mixed berries work well) and then dusted with icing sugar.
-
15
Chocolate Ganache-250g dark cooking chocolate, chopped & 1/3 cup cream, melt in microwave in 30 second bursts, until chocolate melted, stir till combined & drizzle over cake.
-
16
Note: Preparation time includes baking time.
