Flourless Almond Chocolate Cake

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 10 tablespoons butter
• 1 (8 ounce) can almond paste (marzipan)
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 16 blanched almonds (optional)

Recipe

• 1 coat a 9" springform pan with cooking spray.
• 2 microwave butter and chocolate together on high for one minute.
• 3 keep heating at 30 second intervals until melted.
• 4 then, stir until smooth.
• 5 meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees f.
• 6 knead confectioner's sugar and almond paste.
• 7 roll out into an 8" circle.
• 8 beat granulated sugar into chocolate mixture until smooth.
• 9 add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until well blended.
• 10 beat until light and airy about 2 minutes.
• 11 beat in vanilla and salt.
• 12 sift the cocoa powder over the top of the chocolate mixture; beat on low speed until blended, about 1 minute.
• 13 pour half of batter into pan, then fit almond paste round on top.
• 14 spoon remaining batter over almond paste and smooth with a spatula.
• 15 gently arrange almonds on top.
• 16 bake in 375 oven for 30 minutes.
• 17 remove the pan to wire rack and let it cool to room temp.
• 18 then, refrigerate for 2 hours.
• 19 remove side of pan.
• 20 now, it's ready to frost or sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or just eat!