BA's Best Chocolate Macaroon Cake

From the kitchen of Carly

A dense, fudgy cake that tastes like a chocolate macaroon had a love affair with brownies. Toasted almonds and shredded coconut give way to melted chocolate in every bite. Rich, sophisticated, and surprisingly simple to pull together.

BA's Best Chocolate Macaroon Cake

Ground almonds and shredded coconut replace flour in this dense, fudgy chocolate cake that tastes like a macaroon got a serious chocolate upgrade. The trick is beating the eggs and sugar until they're pale and thick enough to hold peaks, that's what gives the crumb its structure without gluten. Room temperature eggs matter here, and so does patience with the mixer.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 cupvirgin coconut oil, melted, cooled, plus more for pan
  • 1/4 cupunsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
  • 1 cupskin-on almonds
  • 8 ozsemisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tspkosher salt
  • 1/2 cupunsweetened shredded coconut
  • 6 largeeggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cupgranulated sugar
  • 1/2 cuplight brown sugar
  • 2 tspvanilla extract
  • 4 ozsemisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tbspplus 1 teaspoon light agave nectar or pure maple syrup
  • 1 pinchkosher salt
  • 1/2 cupunsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tbspunsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tbspsliced almonds
  • 1 tspgranulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Brush a 10-inch diameter cake pan lightly with oil, then press a round of parchment into the bottom and brush that too. Dust the sides with cocoa powder and tap out any excess. Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, 8 to 10 minutes, then let them cool. Turn the oven down to 325°F.

  2. Set a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Add the chocolate and 1 cup of oil and stir often until the mixture is completely smooth, then pull it off the heat.

  3. In a food processor, pulse the toasted almonds, salt, and 1/4 cup of cocoa powder until the nuts are finely ground. Scatter in the shredded coconut and pulse a couple of times just to bring it together.

  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on medium speed until no longer streaky, about 20 seconds. Pour in both sugars and the vanilla, crank the speed to high, and beat until the mixture is pale, thick, and just starting to hold the marks of the whisk, about 2 minutes. It should fall off the whisk and immediately sink back into itself. Swap to the paddle attachment and, with the mixer on low, stream in the chocolate mixture gradually. Once incorporated, mix in the almond mixture. Fold the batter several times with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides thoroughly, then pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

  5. Bake until the cake is firm to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean but greasy, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes. It may sink slightly in the center, which is fine. Run a paring knife or small offset spatula around the edges, invert onto the rack, peel away the parchment carefully, and let it cool completely.

  6. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the 4 ounces of chocolate, 1 tablespoon of agave nectar, and the pinch of salt in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the coconut milk to a bare simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let everything sit undisturbed until the chocolate melts, about 5 minutes.

  7. On a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, toss the coconut flakes, sliced almonds, granulated sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon of agave nectar together. Toast in the oven until golden, about 4 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, break the mixture into smaller clusters.

  8. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the chocolate mixture until it loses its sheen and thickens enough to hold very soft peaks, 6 to 8 minutes. The ganache won't be quite as stiff as frosting, but it should be close.

  9. Move quickly before the ganache begins to set: scrape it onto the top of the cake and spread it out to the edges with a small offset spatula or knife. Scatter the almond-coconut clusters over the top.

  10. The cake can be baked and fully cooled up to 1 day ahead. Store it tightly covered at room temperature until ready to serve.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Room temperature eggs are not optional. Cold eggs won't incorporate properly and you'll lose the airy structure that prevents the cake from being a gluey brick. Pull them out 30 minutes before you bake.
  • When the chocolate and oil are combined, let them cool slightly before tempering in with the beaten eggs. Too hot and you'll scramble the eggs; too cool and they won't integrate smoothly.
  • The tester should come out clean with a little grease on it, not wet crumbs. That greasy residue means the chocolate is still silky inside, which is exactly what you want.

Variations

  • Skip the glaze and dust with powdered sugar and cocoa for a more austere finish.
  • Swap the almond meal for an equal amount of finely ground hazelnuts for a deeper, earthier cake.
  • Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the chocolate mixture to push the chocolate flavor into the shadows.
  • Top with crushed freeze-dried raspberries instead of toasted coconut and almonds for brightness against the richness.

Make ahead and storage

Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. If you reheat a slice, 15 seconds in the microwave brings back the fudgy texture.