You guys knows Nigella Lawson= rich and luscious recipes!! When I watch her TV shows I would do just ‘oooohs’ and ‘aaahhs’. She makes cooking a pleasure!
I love Nigella and her recipes. It’s hard to believe she is over 50 years and nothing changed but the same. I own her one of the best seller books How to Be a Domestic Goddess, jam-packed with mouth-watering desserts and sweets with beautiful pictures. There is not a single recipe that I don’t want to try but I yet to have to try many of them. After reading this book, I realised why Nigella is known as a domestic goddess!
If you’re following a strict diet or diet freak then this post is probably not for you. It’s gluten-free cake, it’s more like rich brownies. This recipe is adapted from her latest book Nigellissima. To prepare this cake you don’t need to pay slavish hours in your kitchen! The ingredients are just couples and they works like a magic. All of the ingredients should be around you. No special or expensive ingredients.
It would be slightly heavier and richer if you use an almond meal. She says feel free to use all-purpose flour for airy and fluffy cake result. I opted almond meal as it’s healthier option than AP flour. Just mix ingredients in two bowls, beat it and that’s it. It’s dead-simple recipe and you’ll be making again and again if you tried once. Promise!
- 150 ml (5.27 fl oz) regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
- 50 grams (2 oz) cocoa powder, first sift then measure [I used Callebaut brand]
- 125 ml (4.39 fl oz) boiling water
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 150 grams (5 oz) ground almonds [you can substitute with 125 grams (4.4 oz) AP flour/plain flour]
- 1 tsp baking soda
- a pinch of salt
- 200 grams (7 oz) caster sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- Grease your 8″ or 9″ spring-form cake tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment. Please don’t skip this step!
- Keep all ingredients ready on the counter. Add sifted cocoa powder in a small jug [pyrex] and whisk in the boiling water until it’s smooth and chocolate-y paste. Add in the vanilla extract, whisk then set aside to cool a little.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the almond meal (or flour if using), baking soda and salt.
- In another large bowl, mix sugar+olive oil+and eggs. Beat together using hand-mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Start with medium speed and beat vigorously for about 3 minutes until it turns into pale opaque colour.
- Turn the speed down to lowest and slowly pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go. Scrape the bowl as needed. When cocoa powder mixed well, add into the almond meal (or flour) mixture, a tablespoon at a time, beating on lowest speed.
- When everything is combined really well, scrape down the bowl with a silicone spatula (work best!), pour the liquid batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. When you taste with toothpick, a few sticky crumbs is fine. Mine was ready in 40 minutes so please keep an eye after 38-39 minutes baking time.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, remove the ring (the lock) of spring-form pan and carefully lift up your cake with help of a small metal spatula and transfer to cooling rack. Leave to cool completely and serve with a dollop of ice-cream or fluffy whipped cream.
I urge you to try this recipe and you’ll thank me later!
Adapted from one of my favourite cook Nigella Lawson’s latest book Nigellissima.
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