Raspberry Truffle Cake

This is barely a cake and more of a baked truffle in a springform pan. A full pound of semi-sweet chocolate melted with butter creates a dense, fudgy base that puffs at the edges during baking but stays intensely rich and almost mousse-like in the center. Just a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of flour go in. The chocolate does all the structural work.

Whipped egg whites folded into the batter are what give this cake any lift at all. Beat them to stiff peaks and fold gently so you don’t knock out the air. The result is a texture that’s somewhere between a brownie and a chocolate soufflé.

The cake needs a long chill after cooling, at least four hours. It firms up in the fridge and the texture transforms from fragile to sliceable. Drizzling each plate with melted seedless raspberry jam adds fruity tartness that cuts through all that chocolate richness.

Chef Tips

• Melt the chocolate and butter over the lowest heat possible, stirring constantly. Scorched chocolate turns grainy and bitter.
• Beat the yolks in one at a time with a wooden spoon, not a mixer. Over-mixing at this stage makes the cake tough.
• The center will look underdone when you pull it from the oven. That’s correct. It sets during chilling.
• Use a warm, dry knife to slice. Wipe the blade between cuts for clean edges.

Variations

• Use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet for a more intense, bittersweet cake.
• Swap raspberry jam for orange marmalade and garnish with candied orange peel.
• Add a tablespoon of espresso powder to the melted chocolate for a mocha truffle version.