Torta caprese.

Name: Torta caprese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 10 slices
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 7 oz dark chocolate (60–70%), chopped; 14 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 cup granulated sugar; 4 large eggs, separated; 2 cups almond flour; 1 pinch salt; 1 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting

A rich chocolate and almond cake from Capri, crisp on top and fudgy inside. Naturally gluten-free.

20 minPrep

45 minCook

10Slices

EasyLevel

Illustration created with AI

The story of torta caprese.

Legend says that in the 1920s, a baker on the island of Capri forgot to add flour to an almond cake. Instead of a disaster, the result was a cake with a crisp top and a soft, fudgy heart that everyone loved.

Whether the story is true or not, torta caprese has become one of the most famous cakes of the Amalfi Coast, and a favorite of anyone who avoids gluten.

Origin: Campania, Italy

Where to find the ingredients in the US.

Chocolate: a good dark chocolate with 60–70% cocoa.
Almond flour: finely ground blanched almond flour is easy to find.
Gluten-free: check that your chocolate and almond flour are certified, if needed.

Three steps. That’s it.

What each stage should look like.

Step 1

Melt chocolate and butter.

Melt them together gently and let cool slightly.

Step 2

Whip and fold.

Whip yolks and whites separately, then fold everything together.

Step 3

Bake and dust.

Bake until set but still moist inside, then dust with powdered sugar.

Illustrations created with AI

Recipe

Torta caprese.

Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min · Total 1 h 5 min

10 slices

Ingredients

dark chocolate (60–70%), chopped
unsalted butter
granulated sugar
large eggs, separated
almond flour
salt
powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Heat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment.
Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave. Let cool slightly.
Whisk the yolks with half the sugar until pale. Stir in the chocolate, then the almond flour and salt.
Whip the whites with the remaining sugar to soft peaks. Fold them into the chocolate mixture in three additions.
Pour into the pan and bake for 40–45 minutes: the top should be set and crackly, the center still moist.
Cool completely in the pan, then dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Notes. The cake sinks slightly as it cools: that is normal and gives it its fudgy texture. Keeps 4 days at room temperature, covered.

What you’ll need.

9-inch springform pan.

Makes it easy to remove the cake.

Electric hand mixer.

For airy egg whites.

Fine sieve.

For a pretty dusting of sugar.