Less Sweet Chocolate Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A chocolate cake with less sugar but full of texture, using almond flour for lift and richness. Baking powder and soda combined give just enough rise without bitterness. The frosting swaps maple syrup for honey, offering a floral tone while balancing bitterness of 70% dark chocolate. The cake is moist, tender, nutty. Cooking times fluctuate slightly depending on your oven’s temperament. Egg temperature matters for emulsification, and alternating dry and wet mix keeps batter light. Watch cracks on surface, smell that warm chocolate – signs it’s nearly done. Finished cake glistens under satin glaze that thickens but doesn’t harden, melts on tongue. A tweak on classic approaches, fewer sugar surprises, more chocolate notes.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
34 min
Total:
59 min
Servings:
8 servings
#baking tips
#chocolate desserts
#low sugar cakes
#almond flour recipes
#glaze techniques
Chocolate cake, but not too sweet. Dial back the sugar, lean on ground almonds for fat and texture. Tried this several ways: too little sugar, cake dry; too much, soul lost. Baking powder meets soda for lift without weird aftertaste. The odor baking hits knuckles and nose gives away how it cooks. The glaze magician’s touch: honey swaps maple. Gives this bitterness from dark chocolate a longer finish, floral lingering bite. Egg warming crucial, no cold shakes batter. Alternating dry and wet creates inflating rhythm, like breathing cake. Watching surface cracks, smelling chocolate – better signals than clock. Works best with patience and instinct.
Ingredients
- 80 g (9 tbs) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 62 g (1/2 cup minus 1 tbs) almond flour
- 28 g (just over 1/4 cup) cocoa powder sifted
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) baking soda
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 1.25 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
- 2 large eggs at room temp
- 90 g (just under 1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) canola oil
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 160 ml (2/3 cup plus 1 tbs) buttermilk
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) honey (replace maple syrup)
- 90 g (3 oz) 70% dark chocolate chopped
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
About the ingredients
Tweaked measurements for better texture: slightly more flour for structure, slightly less sugar to tame sweetness. Almond flour swapped from powder to slightly coarser ground for more chew. Cocoa always sifted – lumps dead weight. Salt half teaspoon rounded to half but doubled in volume for punch of contrast. Honey replaces maple syrup – swapped for an earthier sweetness that cuts bitter chocolate better, especially with 70% chocolate. Oil remains canola for neutral taste but light sunflower oil can be a substitute. Room temperature eggs improve emulsification; cold eggs risk lumps and tough crumb. Butter unsalted, softened but not melted in glaze – give gloss without breaking emulsion. Water in glaze balances sweetness, helps sheen; don’t skip or chocolate grabs unevenly.
Method
- 1. Center oven rack higher than usual. Preheat 180°C (350°F). Grease 20cm (8 inch) springform pan walls with butter. Cut parchment to fit bottom, press firmly to avoid bubbling.
- 2. Combine flours, cocoa, soda, baking powder, salt in bowl. Whisk to aerate and break lumps. Almond flour heavier, don't skip sifting cocoa, clumps kill texture.
- 3. In second bowl, whisk eggs vigorously with sugar till pale and thick – you want air whipped in. Add oil, vanilla and mix gently but thoroughly. This binds fat and moisture evenly.
- 4. Fold dry mix into wet in three additions, alternating with buttermilk. Start and end with dry. Fold carefully; overmixing tugs out air, cake falls flat. Batter should look smooth, a bit runny but hold shape when spooned.
- 5. Scrape into pan, smooth top with offset spatula. Tap pan lightly on counter to release trapped air. Expect slight jiggle, batter not stiff.
- 6. Bake 35-38 minutes max. Around 30, poke center gently with toothpick – dough clings, keep going. When toothpick comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter, done. Smell deep chocolate, crackle sound from edges solidifying.
- 7. Remove pan from oven, let cool 15 minutes on wire rack before removing springform collar. Cool completely before glazing - skips sogginess.
- 8. For glaze, bring water with honey to boil on medium heat, then remove from heat immediately. Stir in chopped chocolate, let sit 5 minutes untouched – crucial for melt without burning.
- 9. Whisk glaze till smooth, add butter pieces and stir to incorporate fully. Should look shiny, silky but not runny. Let cool till slightly thicker, test by dipping finger - glaze should hold shape but spread easily.
- 10. Spread glaze evenly on cake top with small spatula or back of spoon. Take care on edges; if glaze too thin it drips, too thick hardens. Let set at room temp for 1 hour minimum, or refrigerate briefly for firmer finish.
- 11. Serve with fresh berries or dollop unsweetened whipped cream if desired. Store cake covered at room temp up to 2 days; fridge dries cakes but longer storage needed.
- 12. If cracks appear on cake surface during baking, don't panic. It’s oven heat stressing batter. Can trim edges or cover with glaze thickly to mask. Also makes cake rustic, homely.
- 13. Substitutions notes: almond flour replaced hazelnut flour once for a more aromatic cake, worked but slightly altered texture (crumb drier). Honey in glaze adds nuance but maple stands firm for slight caramel tones. Always use room temp eggs – cold ones shock batter causing lumping.
- 14. Common misses: overmixing batter, ignoring doneness cues, rushing glaze cooling, skipping parchment in pan – each leads to sticky mess or dense cake. Patience key. Also, don't open oven too early, cake deflates easily.
- 15. Taste attention: less sugar means cut bitterness from 70% chocolate feels sharper, balances out with honey glaze’s floral sweetness – that contrast livens dullers chocolate-only cakes.
Cooking tips
Start with preheating loosely, setting rack higher to prevent overbrowning base. Parchment and greasing pan crucial: stickiness kills presentation. Whisk dry ingredients thoroughly to avoid pockets of soda or powder, bitter bursts when uneven. Whisk wet eggs and sugar until pale, more volume improves lightness. Fold dry and wet alternately, gently enough to keep air but completely for structure. Batter consistency slightly runny helps bake even. Bake time varies with ovens; rely on toothpick moist crumb test. Cool in pan short to let cake relax but unmold soon to prevent soggy sides. Glaze preparation is delicate: boiling water with honey then off-heat melts chocolate gently. Resting glaze before stirring key for smooth texture. Cooling glaze till spreadable saves drips; temperature control a skill. Spread with small spatula, thicker at edges keeps shiny rim. Final wait before serving important for flavor meld. Store covered at room temp; fridge exchanges moisture for dryness, avoid unless extended storage needed.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dry ingredients first. Whisk cocoa well, sift for no lumps. Almond flour densest, heavier, toss carefully; skips lumps, ruins bite. Folding dry into wet slowly, alternate with buttermilk keeps air pockets. Over mixing kills lift, breaks crumb. Batter runny but holds shape, expect jiggle in pan. Use toothpick pokes late bake, moist crumbs key, no raw batter. Smell deep cocoa and slight crackling edges—signs to watch.
- 💡 Eggs room temperature matters. Cold eggs shock mix, lump formation kills smooth batter texture, tougher crumb follows. Warm eggs quick in warm water bath, not hot or cooking starts. Whisk eggs vigorously with sugar, volume rises, pale thick mix traps air crucial for lift. Oil and vanilla follow, gently incorporates evenly to hold moisture and fat balance. Patience folding dry mix slowly matters more than speed or over beating.
- 💡 Pan prep essential. Butter springform sides, parchment bottom pressed flat to stop bubbles. Grease then parchment combo avoids sticky edges, soggy bottoms common skipping this. Rack position matters—set higher in oven to prevent dark bottom crust, uneven browning. Temperature precise 180°C, but watch bake times 35–38 mins varies by oven quirks. Early poke for doneness could deflate cake, so hold off till near end bake. Scent cues trump clock numbers.
- 💡 Glaze tricky, timing vital. Bring water and honey to boil, remove from heat immediately. Chocolate must sit 5 minutes untouched for gentle melt. Stir only after wait, prevents burning bits. Add softened butter pieces last to build gloss without breaking mix. Cooling glaze till thicker but spreadable is art. Test by finger dip, not runny but holds shape. Thin glaze drips, thick hardens; spread with small spatula, thicker edges keep shine rim while setting.
- 💡 Cracks normal if batter temp too high or oven hot. Trim edges or mask with thicker glaze layer. Rustic look okay, doesn't ruin flavor. Dense cake often from over beating or underwhipped eggs, reverse mix next try. Dry crumb signals too much flour or too little liquid—add splash buttermilk slow. Sticky pans fix with more parchment and butter; no cutting corners. Egg warming quick but don't cook. Butter unsalted, softened in glaze rules gloss consistency. Always sift cocoa; lumps kill texture.
Common questions
Why fold dry and wet alternately?
Keeps air trapped. Too fast or one toss means dense cake. Start and end dry for structure. Mix slow to avoid flat batter. Butterfly effect on crumb.
Can I swap almond flour with other nut flours?
Hazelnut works, changes aroma and crumb more drier so adjust liquids. Cashew or pecan may alter fat content. Watch moisture balance, nuts vary.
What causes cracks on cake surface?
Oven heat stress. Fast rise splits top. Cooler rack or trim edges post bake. Thick glaze masks cracks well. Overheated oven fastest culprit.
How to store cake for days?
Room temp covered 2 days safe-ish, fridge dries out faster. Wrap in foil or airtight container best. Longer times freeze slices wrapped tightly, thaw slow.
