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    Home » Recipes » Dessert: Cakes

    Easy Torta Caprese (Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake)

    Published: Jul 2, 2019 · Modified: May 8, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Recipe Jump to Video
    Torta Caprese is an almond chocolate cake from Naples, which was created by mistake! There is no flour, so it's perfect for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Creamy and chocolaty, the ground almonds give it a perfect crunchy texture.
    Torta Caprese is an almond chocolate cake from Naples, which was created by mistake! There is no flour, so it's perfect for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Creamy and chocolaty, the ground almonds give it a perfect crunchy texture.
    Torta caprese pin
    Torta caprese pin
    Caprese cake served with vanilla ice cream and orange liquor

    Torta Caprese is an almond chocolate cake from the island of Capri, created by mistake! It is a flourless chocolate cake, perfect for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. This traditional recipe doesn't separate egg yolks from the whites, making the procedure much easier and mess-free. You still get a creamy and chocolaty cake, while the ground almonds give this flourless cake a perfect crunchy texture. A delight for all chocolate lovers.

    Torta Caprese served with ice cream and   a homemade orange liqueur
    Jump to:
    • History of the Torta Caprese
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions with images
    • How to serve it
    • Equipment
    • More glutenfree cake
    • FAQ
    • More Italian desserts recipes
    • 📋Easy Torta Caprese (Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake)

    History of the Torta Caprese

    This is the easy version recipe for the traditional Italian Torta Caprese.

    In 1920 Chef Carmine Di Fiore made a chocolate almond cake but forgot to add flour.

    Nevertheless, the cake was a pleasant surprise, creamy inside but with a crunchy crust.

    This is the Torta Caprese recipe that was invented.

    As it is a flourless chocolate torte, it is gluten-free. A delicacy for all celiac sufferers.

    But don't expect this to be a low-fat diet cake, as there is plenty of butter, five eggs, and a rich chocolate flavor.

    Slice out of a Caprese cake

    Ingredients

    • 10 ½ oz - 300 gr peeled whole almonds: you can also use almond flour, but I like to keep the almonds with some texture, so I grate them myself
    • 8 oz - 220 gr granulated sugar
    • 7 oz - 200 gr butter
    • 7 oz - 200 gr dark chocolate: good quality chocolate, is an essential ingredient
    • 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
    • 5 large eggs: many Caprese cake recipes separate the egg yolks from the white, but if you are in a rush, it is not necessary
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 pinch salt
    melt chocolate with butter

    Step by step instructions with images

    Preparing the ingredients

    1. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a large heatproof bowl over boiling water (Bain-Marie) or in the microwave for 2 minutes on medium
    2. Let the melted chocolate cool down to room temperature
    stirring the melted chocolate
    1. Slightly toast the almonds in the oven and let them cool down at room temperature
    2. Pulse the almonds with the cocoa in a blender until they are roughly grated
    3. If you are using ground almonds, just mix them with the cocoa powder
    toast the almonds mix them with cocoa

    Making the batter

    1. Whisk the eggs with the sugar, the vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until you have stiff peaks. This should take about 15 minutes
    2. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg and sugar in a large mixing bowl
    3. Fold in the almonds slowly, making sure the mixture does not deflate
    preparing the cake batter

    Baking the cake

    1. Cut parchment paper into a round shape, placing it at the bottom of a 9 in / 24 cm diameter cake tin, and add two long strips along the sides of the pan
    2. Pour the cake batter into the lined baking tin and spread evening with a rubber spatula
    3. Cook in a hot oven at 340 F - 170 C for about 45 minutes, checking with a toothpick that the inside remains slightly humid
    4. Once ready, turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven for 10 minutes with the door open.
    5. Let it cool down for another 15 minutes at room temperature before removing it from the pan.
    pour the cake batter in the pan and bake it
    1. Once completely cold, the cake can be decorated with confectioners' sugar or cocoa
    2. You can lay a paper template on top of the cake to add a message by sprinkling cocoa powder
    Decorating the cake with cocoa and icing sugar

    How to serve it

    This Caprese cake is perfectly served with homemade vanilla gelato or whipped heavy cream, as with most chocolate cakes.

    My son Francesco warmed it up in the microwave for 10 seconds, and I must say it was delicious.

    To accompany, you can serve coffee or tea, but my favorite at the end of the meal is to serve it with homemade liquor.

    Orange, Limoncello or Nocino, they are all perfect with chocolate.

    Slice taken out of a Caprese cake view from the top

    Equipment

    There are 2 tools I highly recommend to make this cake:

    • Electric mixer: I use KitchenAid, but you can use any simple electric mixer. Whipping eggs is too long to do by hand and hard if you are not used to it.
    • Pan with removable bottom: A pan with removable bottom makes it much easier to remove the cake from the pan and place it on a serving dish. I always cover the bottom with parchment paper to make it even easier.

    Important Note: Before removing a cake from the baking pan, wait at least 10 minutes otherwise, it will be too warm, and you risk breaking it. Although I never wait more than 10 minutes otherwise, the steam will make the sides soggy.

    pan with removable bottom covered with parchment paper

    Top tips

    • Use the best dark chocolate you can find
    • It is best to buy fresh almonds. To peel them, put them in for a few seconds in boiling water. Take them out, and the skin will peel very easily
    • You can replace the almonds with walnuts
    • If you prefer, when you grind the almonds, leave them roughly grated so the texture of the cake will be nice and crunchy
    • Before you add the chocolate and the almonds to the egg mixture, make sure they are at room temperature, otherwise, the hot chocolate will cook the eggs
    • When cooking the cake, check with a toothpick that the inside remains slightly humid
    Caprese cake served on a plate with ice cream and a fork getting a bite

    Whisking eggs to perfection

    Every time you need to whisk eggs to a stiff peak, there are some important rules to follow always to secure a successful result:

    • The eggs have to be at room temperature. I always keep my eggs out of the fridge as I have my own chickens. I know it is safe to do so here in Europe as that is how you find them in the supermarkets. However, in the US supermarkets, eggs are stored in the fridge (there is a different treatment), so I wouldn't recommend doing so if you are in the USA. Remember to take the eggs out of the fridge a few hours ahead.
    • If you have to separate the eggs, ensure no traces of yolk are left in the whites. I always separate eggs one at a time in a separate bowl using an egg separator. If an egg yolk breaks, I use that egg for another recipe and separate another one.

    Note: in this recipe, we whisk the eggs without separating them.

    Separating the egg whites in a different bowl
    • Whisk with a food processor with a whisk attachment. If you are not used to whisking by hand for a long time and with consistent speed, it is best to use an electric whisker at medium-high speed.
    • Once the eggs reach a stiff peak, cook them immediately as they slowly deflate and return to their liquid state.
    • If you must mix them with another ingredient or batter, you must fold them gradually with a hand whisk. The egg will deflate if the batter is added too quickly and mixed too fast

    More glutenfree cake

    If you want more gluten-free cakes, try the Scandinavian Almond Cake With Custard Cream.

    Almond meringue cake with butter cream

    FAQ

    Where is a Torta Caprese from?

    Torta Caprese is from Capri Island in the Gulf of Naples, just across from the Amalfi coast, South of Italy

    What type of food is Caprese?

    The name Caprese has been misused by many, and I have seen many salads called Caprese just because Mozzarella is one of the ingredients. It is like calling "something Parmesan" anything with cheese and tomatoes. It drives us Italian nuts!! Mozzarella has nothing to do with this Torta Caprese as Caprese means originated from the Isle of Capri, which is where this cake was created, …..by mistake.

    More Italian desserts recipes

    For more traditional Italian recipes:

    • Italian Gelato recipe (vanilla, chocolate and pistachio)
    • Traditional Struffoli Recipe With Cognac
    • Zeppole di Carnevale
    • Pastiera Ricotta
    • Lime sorbet
    • Mont blanc dessert
    • Torrone Italian Nougat Recipe
    • Mini Meringues Recipe
    • Pavlova Recipe with Chestnut Mousse
    vanilla, pistachio, chocolate gelato served in a bowl

    If you are making this Easy Torta Caprese, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram or sign up to my newsletter.

    Easy Torta Caprese (Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake)

    📋Easy Torta Caprese (Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake)

    5 from 5 votes
    Laura Tobin
    Servings 10 people
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 50 minutes mins
    Resting time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    Caprese cake is an almond chocolate cake from Naples, which was created by mistake! There is no flour, so it's perfect for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Creamy and chocolaty, the ground almonds give it a perfect crunchy texture.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Cake Pan with RB 9 in - 24 cm
    • Braun blender
    • Mini Measuring Set
    • Measuring mugs
    • KitchenAid Mixer
    • Parchment paper

    Ingredients
     

    • 10 ½ oz peeled almonds
    • 8 oz caster sugar
    • 7 oz butter
    • 7 oz dark chocolate
    • 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
    • 5 fresh eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 1 tablespoon icing sugar for decoration
    • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder for decoration

    Instructions
     

    • Melt the chocolate with the butter in a large bowl over boiling water (Bain-Marie) or in the microwave for 2 minutes on medium
      7 oz dark chocolate, 7 oz butter
    • Slightly toast the almonds in the oven and let them cool down at room temperature
      10 ½ oz peeled almonds
    • In a blender pulse the almonds with the cocoa until they are roughly grated
      2 tablespoon cocoa powder
    • Whisk the eggs with sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt until puffy and foamy. For about 15 minutes
      8 oz caster sugar, 5 fresh eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
    • Add to the egg mix the almond and the melted chocolate folding slowly, making sure the mixture does not deflate
    • Cut parchment paper into a round shape, placing it at the bottom of the pan and add 2 long strips along the side
    • Pour the mixture into a baking tin (8- 9 in / 22-24 cm of diameter) previously covered with parchment paper.
    • Cook in a hot oven at 340 F - 170 C for about 45 minutes checking with a toothpick that the inside remains slightly humid
    • Once ready, turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven for 10 minutes, with the door slightly open.
    • Let it cool down for another 15 minutes at room temperature before removing it from the pan.
    • Once completely cold, the cake can be decorated with icing sugar
      1 tablespoon icing sugar
    • You can also use a template to sprinkle some cocoa to add a message to your cake
      1 tablespoon cocoa powder
      Caprese Cake Italian cooking classes
    • You can serve it with some vanilla icecream. Enjoy!

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 556kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 11gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 181mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 6gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 620IUCalcium: 98mgIron: 4.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!
    important notes on ingredients

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emily

      September 12, 2017 at 3:44 am

      5 stars
      This is such a gorgeous cake! And I love how you did the message on top!

      Reply
    2. Brian Jones

      September 12, 2017 at 5:59 am

      5 stars
      I love finding out where older recipes come from, gotta smile when the classics are born of mistakes 😀 Lovely recipe!

      Reply
    3. Sandi

      September 12, 2017 at 5:19 am

      5 stars
      I love that this cake is gluten free!!

      Reply
    4. Shashi at Savory Spin

      September 12, 2017 at 8:18 am

      5 stars
      I had no idea that the infamous Caprese cake was born out of a mistake! I've been enjoying Paul Hollywood's version for awhile - this one sounds delectable!

      Reply
    5. Amy | The Cook Report

      September 12, 2017 at 8:38 am

      5 stars
      You can't beat a good chocolate cake!

      Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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    Laura Giunta Tobin

    Hi, I’m Laura. Welcome to my blog! While many talk about Italian food, I’ve lived it firsthand. Here, I share real Italian home cooking, just as it’s made in Italy. Won’t you join me?

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