
I’m still feeling a bit too weak to cook, but I made this cake a couple weekends ago and have been waiting for the opportunity to post it. It’s a simple flourless chocolate cake, made with melted Theo chocolate, cocoa powder, butter, and other goodies. I added in some almonds and an extra bit of sea salt because salted almond is my favorite chocolate pairing, and topped the cake with some fresh wild violets from the garden. The violets are completely optional, I just like them because they add a bit of color and life to an otherwise plain-looking and very disc-like cake. If you wanted to be extra-decadent, you could always double the recipe and create two layers and drizzle some melted chocolate between the layers and over the top of it, but this cake is SO dense and rich as it is you really get enough chocolate just from a single one-layer slice. It’s pretty much a giant flourless brownie.
The kind folks at Theo also put together a little chocolate giveaway for you all, too! If you haven’t heard of them and their delicious goods, Theo is a Seattle-based chocolate company that uses only fair-trade and certified organic cocoa beans in their chocolate bars, so you know their chocolate is going to taste good and do a bit of good in the world, too. If you’re ever in the northwest, they offer tours of their Seattle chocolate factory, which I plan on checking out once I’m settled after the move (let’s be real, you couldn’t keep me away from a nearby chocolate factory if you tried). In the meantime, I’m going to attempt self-medicating my sore throat with dark chocolate bars. To enter the giveaway, please use the rafflecopter widget below, keeping in mind that the giveaway closes on June 17th at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time.
Also, I’m now contributing over at DesignLoveFest and you can take a look at my first post here. I made some delicious raspberry rhubarb pinwheels topped with whipped cream and raspberries, a fitting end-of-spring send off to rhubarb, indeed! And along those same lines, I had another post go up at One Kings Lane a couple weeks ago for some ah-maaazing grilled baby back ribs with a homemade barbecue sauce (I’ll leak the secret ingredient: pineapple juice!), so definitely try that one out once it warms up enough in your area to break out the ol’ grill. Best of luck with the giveaway and talk soon!!

Salted Almond Flourless Chocolate Cake With Violets
Ingredients
- 3 ounces ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
- flaked sea salt optional garnish
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder optional garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh wild violets optional garnish
Syruped Oranges
- 2 oranges
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Flourless Chocolate Cake
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom of it with parchment paper. Set aside.
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Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in the granulated and brown sugars, espresso powder, salt, vanilla, orange juice, and orange zest. Whisk in the eggs until the batter is smooth, then stir in the cocoa powder. Add the almonds and stir until they're evenly distributed throughout the batter.
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Pour the batter into the cake pan and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then remove it from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before running a thin rubber spatula along the edge of the cake to loosen it, then remove it from the pan and allow to cool for another 20 minutes before garnishing with the cocoa powder, sea salt, and violets. Serve immediately alongside the syruped oranges.
Syruped Oranges
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Cut the peels off the oranges and then cut them into eight slices per orange. Set aside.
-
Bring the suhar and water to a rapid simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and add the orange slices and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
I love chocolate and cherries. Reminds me the black forest cakes my grandma used to bake us as kids
Well that's just gorgeous. Violets for the win
That cake is so gorgeous! What a lovely idea.
I love caramel with milk chocolate. And, I adore a cup of grass-fed milk with dark chocolate. haha
~minstrelofgrace
This is just such a beautiful post. VIOLETSSSS!!
I love chocolate & sea salt caramel.
Aw, I'm so, so, SO sorry you had to be sick during all that! When I am busy, that's when my fragile immune system starts to falter too. Can't wait to see the gorgeous photographs I'm sure you took! I can't even imagine the paperwork that comes with buying a house… Actually, I can and that's why I have thus far avoided it, HA! Can't wait to have you all home!
Chocolate with red wine. Fun giveaway. Thanks!
I love chocoalte and peanut butter
dark choc + sea salt!
Dark chocolate and any nuts.
What a beautiful cake! I think chocolate and raspberry is my favorite…or maybe chocolate and peppermint. Or caramel. Or lots of other things! Needless to say, I would be THRILLED to try all of these! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
That looks and sounds beautiful! Love the rich flavors and here, and the addition of violets is perfect. Very seasonal! 🙂
awwwww hoping you feel better soon!!
This is amazing. And chocolate and sea salt, FTW.
I love chocolate and caramel together.
chocolate with toffee!
I love chocolate and anything!! Just about. But bacon. Not a fan of that. Mint might be the winner but it's hard to compare with fruit, I love chocolate with raspberries, strawberries, cherries & pineapple. I can't pick 1! And if you haven't had an almond mocha yet, you will love that! Making this cake this weekend, I'm weeding out the wheat. And your photos–just amazing, the colors are perfect.
I love dark chocolate with chillies 🙂
xo Hannah
Chocolate and vanilla or mint…
Chocolate and Peanut Butter still makes me weak in the knees.
Chocolate and salted caramel. Too many good.
What an absolutely beautiful cake! Hope you're feeling better soon!
My new favorite combination is chocolate and lavender!
I love chocolate + orange!
dark chocolate & strawberries is my fave combo
This cake looks deliciously rich and gooey!! I just checked out your raspberry rhubarb pinwheels too. Both are lovely recipes! I hope you feel better soon.
Such a delicious looking cake!! I would definitely serve it along with some raspberries or strawberries and bet it would be amazing! Love the flower decoration you out on top 🙂
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
Oh, how pretty! Those violets really lift the photographs. Gorgeous looking recipe x
that looks AMAZING!
I like dark chocolate with candied violets.
I adore chocolate and marshmallow.
chocolate and peanut butter for me!
God I love their chocolate. So amazing.
I just found out about it through instagram, you have a delicious and so damn pretty cooking blog! And what a nice time to find out about it, giveaway time! By the way, all the best with your sore throat! 🙂
LOVE the colors- they are so vibrant!
This looks as beautiful as I imagine it tastes
The Salted Almond Dark is amazing!
Although I think chocolate pairs with just about everything, one of my favorites is hazelnut. Yum!
Love the idea of hazelnut extract with the almond cake! Seems like it would make it well rounded and so tasty, of course! :]
I love dark chocolate with chili pepper.
I love dark chocolate with chili pepper.
I was loving your instagram posts of everywhere you went. SO beautiful! I've been meaning to do some hiking in Shasta. Good luck on your paperwork. I've never bought a home, but have witnessed the process with other people and holy moly, is it an ordeal! You'll be so relieved once it's all over and you're settled in to your new abode 🙂
This cake is gorgeous (as always!) and I always love a good Theo bar.
As a Seattle gal, I looooove me some Theo chocolate! I've been on their factory tour at least 3 times, and it's awesome. All of their "Fantasy Bars" are to-die-for. I especially love the Bread and Chocolate, Hazelnut Crunch, and Coconut Curry.
This cake looks so amazing, and rich, and I want it in my face, immediately.
oh this looks so delicious and again, you're using flowers!! x
mmm, my mom has a gluten allergy – she would love this! it looks amazing.
Beautiful cake. Hope you are feeling better.
My new favorite chocolate pairing is dark chocolate with sea salt.
I love chocolate and caramel.
Well other than the obvious chocolate and peanut butter. I really like Dark Chocolate and cherries or almonds.
Chocolate and Himalayan sea salt= love —-gorgeous cake!
this looks amazing!!!
Dark chocolate and ginger!
marie [dot] hope [dot] martin [at] gmail [dot] com
I love chocloate with bread most of all! But in a pinch ANYTHING with chocolate will do
I love Theo chocolate! These photos are amazing, the violets really do make the cake so much prettier! I think dark chocolate with raspberry is probably my favorite 🙂
Dear Eva, You are an artist. This cake looks beautiful and rich. A true delight. Blessings dear, Catherine xo
I love dark chocolate!
dark chocolate and some kind of nut butter.
feel better soon
Dark chocolate, peanut butter, and sea salt 🙂
It is really interesting, I hope everybody lick this Post.
Thank you very much for such a lovely and informative post.
Chocolate and mint! I love making mint-chocolate chip ice cream using the fresh mint from my garden.
Love chocolate & raspberry!
Looks absolutely amazing, your photography is breathtaking. My favorite chocolate combo is dark chocolate and orange- only the best!
I'm a sucker for chocolate and coffee! Your photography is gorgeous, by the way.
oh man, what doesn't chocolate go with..
chocolate anddd croissants. is that a thing? it's totally a thing.
I like citrus and chocolate combo
My favorite is milk chocolate and hazelnut.
It's classic – I love chocolate and orange together.
I love the chocolate and raspberry combination!
dark chocolate and raspberries..
I love chocolate and orange!
How beautiful!! And chocolate plus orange or raspberry are my fave!
Yummi! I's super that it is without flour!!! Of course the 70% salted almond chocolet is my favourite! <3 Salted choco is absolutely amazing!!
Chocolate and raspberry!
Chocolate and coffee (espresso, mocha, latte, etc) will always have my heart!
I like chocolate and strawberries
I love Theo chocolate! but have yet to go on the chocolate tour. Anyway, this looks amazing!! I'll have to give it a try 🙂
i love chocolate and mint, but that's just one of many favorites. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this wonderful post, It is awesome.
I like your post very much…
Anything chocolate and fruit and sea salt is a must (melissa @ treatswithatwist . com)
I love chocolate and pretzels! I just love the sweet and salty combination!
Dark chocolate and sea salt!
I love chocolate and cherries but dark dark chocolate, the darker the better.
Samantha
That cake looks delicious! I especially love the look of the violets, the contrast is so beautiful.
Is there anything that does NOT go with chocolate??? LOL
Dark chocolate and mint is my favorite chocolate pairing.
I love chocolate and peanut butter together
looks incredible! love that it's gluten free too, am looking for a gluten free birthday cake for my friend and this has been added to the shortlist!
Beautiful – looks divine! And *please* can you tell me where you found that absolutely beautiful blue flowered dish? It's stunning.
my favorite pairing is probably chocolate and coffee.. caffeine caffeine caffeine hahaha
Chocolate covered berries – I like to freeze blueberries on a cookie sheet then dip then in chocolate ganache. They taste like chocolate covered raisins.
This is most definitely one of the most charming looking chocolate cake I've ever seen!
This looks awesome, i love almonds, so anything with them in gets my attention, thanks for sharing this…
Simon
Thats special. Going to show my friends and see what we can do. thank you
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