Torta Caprese
Packed with chocolate and chopped almonds, this Torta Caprese makes for a delicious treat…especially when topped with a dollop of orange-ginger whipped cream!
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Laura always knows when I’ve been baking, and she can figure it out without stepping foot into the kitchen. It’s not the smells of cakes or breads – although those would be a pretty tell-tale sign. It’s not the pile of baking pans sitting next to the sink – although that would also be a pretty tell-tale sign. It’s the flour handprints on my hindquarters. As often as I wash my hands while cooking and baking, I always end up with at least one flour handprint on the back of my pants. Always.
I don’t mind the flour handprint – I like to think it’s like a signature move. But one way to combat that flour handprint? Make a flourless chocolate cake! No more flour handprints when there’s no flour in the recipe.
Torta Caprese
A Torta Caprese is a flourless chocolate cake named after Capri, an island located off the Italian coast near Naples. We visited Capri on our honeymoon years ago, and we’ve been dreaming about a return visit ever since. We haven’t made our way back (yet), but we recently made this Torta Caprese as a reminder of that trip. (We enjoyed a slice or six of this one while we were visiting!)
While there are no flour handprints involved with making a Torta Caprese, there is still a pretty telltale sign. The noise. The unique feature of this dessert is that it’s made from ground almonds instead of flour. Like 2 whole cups of almonds. The food processor ground them up in a flash – but the noise was pretty intense. There’s no way to quietly grind up 2 cups of almonds in a food processor. Just own it and make a bunch of noise. Then sit down a bit later to a delicious slice of this chocolate almond flourless cake.
We’ve made a Torta Caprese several times now, and it’s always been a hit. But I have to take a moment here to call out the whipped cream. Normally whipped cream is a bit of an afterthought. Not this time. This whipped cream features a bit of orange zest and ground ginger. It’s good enough to eat by itself! However, add a dollop of orange-ginger whipped cream on top of this chocolate cake? Yes, please! While this cake can certainly be served by itself, the whipped cream is an easy addition that elevates this dessert into something quite gourmet. Let’s just say this one didn’t last long around here.
If you’re looking for a unique and delicious dessert, then put a Torta Caprese on the list! It’s fairly simple to make, and you won’t have to worry about leftovers. Happy baking!
Did you make this Torta Caprese at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Torta Caprese
Ingredients
For the Torta Caprese
- 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 2 cups raw almonds
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 2 tsp amaretto liqueur optional
- confectioner’s sugar for dusting
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar
- ½ Tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
For the Torta Caprese
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 9” springform pan with nonstick baking spray; set pan aside.
- Melt the chocolate using a double-burner or a small bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
- Meanwhile, using a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely chopped. (Note: The almonds should be the texture of sand.)
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (~2-3 minutes on medium speed).
- Using a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add egg mixture to the butter mixture; mix until well combined.
- Add the finely chopped almonds, melted chocolate and amaretto (optional); mix until well combined.
- Transfer batter into prepared springform pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. (Note: Take care not to overbake this cake!)
- Lay a piece of aluminum foil over pan and let cake cool completely in pan.
- Remove cake from pan and dust lightly with confectioner’s sugar.
- Top with a dollop of whipped cream before serving.
For the Whipped Cream
- Using a small bowl, add the whipping cream, confectioner’s sugar, orange zest and ground ginger.
- Whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer mixture into a piping bag with a large star tip.
Looking for more chocolate dessert recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Sachertorte
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Chocolate Chess Pie
Will be making this soon for the caprese can i use vegan butter and for the whipped cream can i use coconut cream i love chocolate soooooooooo much i never had torta caprese before also will be making your chips tomorrow after work perfect for my birthday on 19 September and after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day after work everyday will dm you if i make this and let you how know it goes Thanks Ramya
And Will be making this for my family birthdays as they are picky with homemade cakes as they love store bought cakes but will be making this for them and will leave another comment once i make this
I do hope you give this cake a try, Ramya! I can’t speak to the vegan substitutions as I have not tried those, but I’d say give it a try. This cake is mighty tasty!!
Such a beautiful torta! Love how it’s made predominantly with almond flour too! Will have to give this one a try!
This one really is quite tasty, Michelle – and the orange-ginger whipped cream on top? That’s a requirement if you ask me! 🙂
oh yum how divine. it just looks fantastic. orange and ginger cream sounds delightful.
That orange + ginger whipped cream is the key to this recipe, Sherry! The cake itself is delicious, but the whipped cream takes it to a whole new level. 🙂
When you say that you’d eat this whipped cream all by itself, I have to tell you that that was my immediate thought as soon as you said it had orange and ginger in it. I mean, the cake does sound good, but bring on that whipped cream!
I’m with ya, Jeff – I mean chocolate + ginger + orange is delicious….if you can hold on to the whipped cream long enough for it to make it onto the cake. 🙂
Love the cake and the whipped cream! This cake might not have flour, but I think the sprinkling of powdered sugar might leave its own telltale signs that you’ve been baking! 🙂
*sigh* you’re right, Kathy. I did end up with powdered sugar on me after this one was all done. No surprise there! 🙂
This looks delicious. A perfect treat for Valentine’s Day. I like almond flour in here. Orange zest is a great idea in the whipped cream. I love the orange and chocolate combination.
Orange + chocolate really is a tasty combination, Dawn! I know strawberries + chocolate get all of the attention this time of the year, but orange deserves a bit of love, too! 🙂
This torta looks so good, David, and you sold me with the orange-ginger whipped cream topping!
Thanks so much, Marissa – this was a delicious dessert for sure! 🙂
This sounds incredible, David. And looks incredible, too. The ingredient list alone tells me I’d love it. Definitely on my to do list now. And yes, I’ve actually never made or had it!
Yes! Put this one on the list for sure, Frank! I personally think the orange + ginger whipped cream is a requirement, though. It’s so tasty!!
What a gorgeous Italian cake! I can see myself serving this up with morning coffee. I’m always on the lookout for cake recipes that my parents would love and I don’t think they’ve tried (they are well travelled). I think they would love this when they next come down to visit!
Haha – I like the idea of serving this in the morning with a cup of coffee. Talk about a great way to start the day! Next time your parents come to visit, I say you should definitely make this one, Neil. It’s quite tasty…but don’t omit that whipped cream!!
This is one gorgeous cake David! Flourless cakes are so rich and delicious, and I love almonds, so this cake would definitely be a hit in our house. And that orange and ginger addition to the whipped cream sounds absolutely to die for! What an elegant dessert, I can see how a slice (or six 😋) would transport anyone to Capri.
I’m with ya on the flourless cakes, Shannon. They are delicious, and you can get away with eating a small slice since they have so much flavor! The orange + ginger whipped cream in this one really takes it to a new level. Now if only we could travel back to Capri…
Was confused with the name specially after looking at the photos. Torta and Caprese are both savoury dishes on our vocabulary, one is egg dish and the latter is a salad, but this one is definitely not. Orange, chocolate, ginger and cream, they are too dangerous together, a very delicious concotion
Interesting! Language is a fun – and sometimes confusing – thing for sure. I think the meaning here is torta (“cake”) and Caprese (“from the island of Capri”). The Caprese Salad also gets its name from Capri – a small island with a rich food history! Either way, this is indeed a very delicious recipe. Thanks, Raymund!
I made this for my husband for Valentine’s day and it was perfect! Thank you for a fantastic recipe! I was skeptical about the orange and ginger whipped cream (I always make plain and almost did for this) but I decided to try it and it paired so well with the rich cake! In fact next time I make this recipe I plan on doubling the whipped cream, it was just that good. Thanks again!
Hey April! I’m so glad you made this recipe and it was a hit. It really is a tasty recipe, but that orange-ginger whipped cream is what takes it from good to “woah – this is amazing!” I definitely see what you mean about doubling that next time. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, too! Cheers!