Flourless Chocolate Lime Cake With Margarita Cream
by Nigella. Featured in KITCHENIntroduction
There is something about a flourless chocolate cake that makes it so divinely easy to eat. And, when you have friends round, it's good to know this will make everyone happy, gluten-free people included!
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
There is something about a flourless chocolate cake that makes it so divinely easy to eat. And, when you have friends round, it's good to know this will make everyone happy, gluten-free people included!
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Yields: 8-10 slices
For the Cake
- 150 grams dark chocolate (chopped)
- 150 grams soft unsalted butter (plus some for greasing)
- 6 large eggs
- 250 grams caster sugar
- 100 grams ground almonds
- 4 teaspoons best-quality cocoa powder (sifted)
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- icing sugar (to dust)
For the Margarita Cream
- 60 millilitres fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- 1 tablespoon cointreau (or triple sec)
- 75 grams icing sugar
- 250 millilitres double cream
For the Cake
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
- 1¼ sticks soft unsalted butter (plus some for greasing)
- 6 large eggs
- 1¼ cups superfine sugar
- 1 cup almond meal
- 4 teaspoons best-quality unsweetened cocoa (sifted)
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- confectioners' sugar (to dust)
For the Margarita Cream
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- 1 tablespoon cointreau (or triple sec)
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350°F, line the base of a 23cm / 9inch springform cake tin with baking parchment and butter the sides.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, or in a microwave (following manufacturer’s instructions), then set aside to cool slightly.
- Beat the eggs and sugar together until about tripled in volume, pale and moussy. I do this using a freestanding mixer, but a hand-held electric model would be just fine too; obviously, by hand is possible but would demand tenacity and muscle.
- Mix the ground almonds with the cocoa powder and fold this gently into the egg and sugar mixture, followed by the slightly cooled chocolate and butter. Finally, fold in the zest and juice of your lime.
- Pour and scrape this mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes (though start to check at 35); the cake will be just firm on top, but still have a bit of wobble underneath.
- Remove from the oven and sit the cake in its tin on a wire rack to cool. Once the first heat has left it, drape a clean tea towel over the cake to stop it getting too crusty, though a cracked and cratered surface is to be expected; it’s crunch I’m avoiding here.
- When cold, unmould, dust with icing sugar if you wish and serve with the jaunty Margarita Cream that follows.
MARGARITA CREAM
- Stir the lime juice, tequila and orange liqueur togather in a good-sized bowl, then whisk or fork in the icing sugar and let it dissolve in the sour, strong liquid.
- Slowly whisk in the double cream and keep whisking until you have a light, floaty, aerated mixture, then serve with the Chocolate Lime Cake above.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350°F, line the base of a 23cm / 9inch springform cake tin with baking parchment and butter the sides.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together either in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, or in a microwave (following manufacturer’s instructions), then set aside to cool slightly.
- Beat the eggs and sugar together until about tripled in volume, pale and moussy. I do this using a freestanding mixer, but a hand-held electric model would be just fine too; obviously, by hand is possible but would demand tenacity and muscle.
- Mix the almond meal with the unsweetened cocoa and fold this gently into the egg and sugar mixture, followed by the slightly cooled chocolate and butter. Finally, fold in the zest and juice of your lime.
- Pour and scrape this mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes (though start to check at 35); the cake will be just firm on top, but still have a bit of wobble underneath.
- Remove from the oven and sit the cake in its tin on a wire rack to cool. Once the first heat has left it, drape a clean tea towel over the cake to stop it getting too crusty, though a cracked and cratered surface is to be expected; it’s crunch I’m avoiding here.
- When cold, unmould, dust with confectioners' sugar if you wish and serve with the jaunty Margarita Cream that follows.
MARGARITA CREAM
- Stir the lime juice, tequila and orange liqueur togather in a good-sized bowl, then whisk or fork in the confectioners' sugar and let it dissolve in the sour, strong liquid.
- Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and keep whisking until you have a light, floaty, aerated mixture, then serve with the Chocolate Lime Cake above.
Additional Information
There's nothing to stop you presenting this in small glasses, on some other occasions, to be eaten like a syllabub.
MAKE AHEAD:
The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in a cool place and dust with icing sugar just before serving.
FREEZE:
The cake can be frozen (still on the base of the tin if easier), wrapped carefully in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil, for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight at cool room temperature and dust with icing sugar just before serving.
There's nothing to stop you presenting this in small glasses, on some other occasions, to be eaten like a syllabub.
MAKE AHEAD:
The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in a cool place and dust with icing sugar just before serving.
FREEZE:
The cake can be frozen (still on the base of the tin if easier), wrapped carefully in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil, for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight at cool room temperature and dust with icing sugar just before serving.
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Show more commentsBest cake ever, loved the cream, served it with fresh blackberries,
I love all of Nigella's variations on flourless chocolate cakes, but I think this is my favorite. The lime cuts right through the richness of the chocolate and butter, making it feel light and decadent at the same time. The Margarita Cream that goes alongside is incredible, and really turns this into a dinner party treat. This feels right at all times of the year which makes it a spectacular, go-to favorite!
Our daughter Isabella made this for Father’s Day here in Australia. Absolutely superb. We couldn’t get fresh lime so she used bottled and it was still perfect. Thank you Nigella x
Not a fan of tequila but don’t let that stop you making this beautiful tort. I substituted orange oil and it was a big hit. Next time will try with hazelnut oil. I couldn’t get castor sugar so whizzed the regular stuff in the blender and it was great. Super texture. Not too rich and tastes absolutely delicious. After unmoulding the cake, I flipped it over to give me a nice even, smooth presentation surface.
Absolutely gorgeous! Rich, moist and with a burst of lime. I agree the cream is beautiful on its own! My oven runs hot so I had it slightly cooler (170C fan forced) and only cooked it for 30 minutes which was perfect. Will definitely make over and over.
Made this for the first time today and it won’t be the last ... The chocolate and lime is a great combo and the margarita cream complemented the cake perfectly. A real winner!
This is absolutely fantastic and is my favourite chocolate cake dessert. And that margarita cream....!
Another much loved recipe in our house. But also a great one for when I'm cooking for the girls as one is gluten-free. And that cream, well it's to die for! So what are you waiting for? Why have you not tried this one yet??!!
This is delicious. I started making it for my daughter when she was diagnosed with coeliac disease. The whole family love it and it is so easy to make. Thank you!
The cake is almost Paleo which is great. I can tweak it to suit using home made A2 butter.
I always turn to Nigella when I need a cake recipe and since discovering this one last year it has surpassed the Quadruple Chocolate as being my favourite. Yesterday I deliberately took it out of the oven after 35 mins and now I am always going to do that. It produced a lovely crust which had the perfect, ever so slight crunch but it was the gooey, fudge centre that had everyone salivating and coming back for seconds and thirds. Always reliable and ever so easy, this recipe is truly sublime.
Oh my...the Margarita Cream is SO delicious it's surely illegal! The cake has a lovely 'crust' on top after baking and lovely chocolate gooeyness in the centre - simply divine!