Chocolate Caprese Cake

Free

Difficulty: Medium
Time: 10 min (plus baking time about 35 min)
Quantity: About 10 people (Ø24cm)
Type: Baked Cakes
Dietary requirements: Gluten-free Cream-free Vegan

Ingredients

FOR THE BATTER

260 g plant-based milk

120 g seed oil

90 g cane sugar (Demerara)

2 g salt

160 g dark chocolate 54%

75 g potato starch

30 g cornstarch

150 g almond flour

7 g baking soda

FOR GREASING

margarine q.s.

25 g rice flour

3 g cocoa powder

FOR DECORATION

Icing sugar q.s.

The caprese cake was born from a mistake: the chef forgot to add flour to the batter, but the result was a delicious gluten-free cake, moist and soft that won everyone over. And this vegan version of the caprese cake will surely win you over too; it is a very indulgent and rich cake, with dominant flavors of dark chocolate and almonds used in the form of almond flour which allow achieving this very moist and soft result.

Method

Preheat the oven to 170˚C static. Grease the mold with a knob of margarine using your finger or a brush, then add the flour mixed and sifted with the cocoa powder, rotate the mold to coat the bottom and sides well. You can also add a parchment paper disc on the base of the mold for extra assurance that the cake will not stick to the mold.

Weigh the dark chocolate in a bowl and melt it in the microwave (or in a bain-marie); in a measuring jug weigh the oil with the milk. Both chocolate and the milk-oil mix should be at a temperature of about 38-42°C. Add the oil and milk mix in 3 additions, pour 1/3 over the chocolate and mix with a spatula until well blended. Then pour the second part and always mix with the spatula.

Pour the last part and mix with a whisk, add salt and sugar and mix.

Sift the dry ingredients together (potato starch, cornstarch, almond flour, baking soda) and add them to the batter. Mix with a whisk.

Once you have a homogeneous mixture pour into the mold and bake at 170˚C static for about 35 minutes.

Remove the mold from the oven and let rest at room temperature for at least half an hour. Then invert the mold onto the plate/tray. Let cool completely. Meanwhile cut 4 strips of paper about 1.5 cm thick (approximate, you can make them whatever size you prefer). Place the paper strips on the cake as in the photo.

Sift the icing sugar covering the entire cake. Remove the strips. The cake is ready. It is of course possible to decorate it as you wish, even without making the design with the paper strips.

Storage

Store at room temperature under a glass dome for up to 3 days. In hot months keep refrigerated.

Tips

The dark chocolate used is 54% Callebaut; use chocolate with a similar cocoa percentage, not higher. You can replace the almond flour with hazelnut flour or do 50/50 for an even better caprese. Do not use ground almonds made at home; buy the flour. For optimal and soft results do not replace the baking soda with baking powder. You can use a closed mold like the one used in the recipe, or a springform or ring but close the base with aluminum foil and parchment paper inside (so the batter does not leak). You can make the cake in molds of other sizes; read this article to understand how to calculate quantities based on your mold. It is recommended to read these articles: - which ingredients to use - where to buy pastry ingredients and products