Julia’s Chocolate and Almond Cake

We are watching the Julia series on HBO Max and also watched the CNN Julia documentary! So, it’s only makes sense to did out my Julia cookbook and give her beloved Chocolate and Almond Cake a try! 

Made with simple, everyday ingredients, this recipe utilizes techniques that create a light cake made by creaming butter and sugar and eventually yolks. Egg whites are whipped separately and folded into the batter. They are techniques I know and understand, however, I have never made an icing like this one! Truly a butter cream icing . . . butter, chocolate and coffee, that’s it! Or, Julia also suggests simply dusting the cake with powdered sugar if preferred.

In typical Julia style, she even provides a list of kitchen supplies. She truly inspired generations of cooks and helped shaped today’s American cuisine. 

This cake is elegant, delicious, yet simple . . .  so Julia! 

Julia’s Chocolate and Almond Cake Serves 6–8

Kitchen Supplies:

Round cake pan , 8 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches deep

3-quart mixing bowl

Wooden spoon or Electric beater

Rubber spatula

Cake rack

Ingredients:

4 ounces or squares semisweet chocolate, melted

2 Tbsp. rum or coffee

1/4 pound or 1 stick softened butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar to mix with butter

3 egg yolks

3 egg whites

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar to beat with egg whites

1/3 cup pulverized almonds

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/2 cup cake flour, scooped and leveled, turned into a sifter

Chocolate-Butter Icing (recipe follows)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the cake pan. (I line the pan with parchment cut to size and sprayed it with pan release.)
2. Set the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and place (off heat) in a larger pan of almost simmering water; let melt while you proceed with the recipe.
   
3. Measure out the rest of the ingredients. 
   
4. Cream the butter and 2/3 cup of sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture. 
   
5. Beat in the egg yolks until well blended. 
   
6. Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle 1 Tbsp. sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. 
   
7. With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the almonds, and almond extract.
   
   
   
   
8. Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter.
9. Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one third of the flour and continue folding. 
   
10. Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all egg whites and flour are incorporated. 
    
11. Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in middle level of preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a needle plunged into that area comes out clean; the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and a needle comes out oily. 

    

    Ready to bake!

12. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. 
    
13. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack. 
14. Allow it to cool for an hour or two; it must be thoroughly cold if it is to be iced. 

Chocolate-Butter Icing

Kitchen Supplies:

Small covered pan

Larger pan of almost simmering water

Wooden spoon

Bowl with tray of ice cubes and water to cover them

Small flexible-blade metal spatula or table knife

Ingredients:

2 ounces (2 squares) semisweet baking chocolate

2 Tbsp. rum or coffee

5 to 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

1. Place the chocolate and rum or coffee in the small pan, cover and set in the larger pan of almost simmering water. 
2. Remove pans from heat and let chocolate melt for 5 minutes or so, until perfectly smooth. Lift chocolate pan out of the hot water, and beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time. 
3. Then beat over the ice and water until chocolate mixture has cooled to spreading consistency. 
4. At once spread it over your cake with spatula or knife.

Recipe without photos . . . Julia’s Chocolate and Almond Cake Serves 6–8

Kitchen Supplies:

Round cake pan , 8 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches deep

3-quart mixing bowl

Wooden spoon or Electric beater

Rubber spatula

Cake rack

Ingredients:

4 ounces or squares semisweet chocolate, melted

2 Tbsp. rum or coffee

1/4 pound or 1 stick softened butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar to mix with butter

3 egg yolks

3 egg whites

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar to beat with egg whites

1/3 cup pulverized almonds

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/2 cup cake flour, scooped and leveled, turned into a sifter

Chocolate-Butter Icing (recipe follows)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour the cake pan. (I line the pan with parchment cut to size and sprayed it with pan release.)
2. Set the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and place (off heat) in a larger pan of almost simmering water; let melt while you proceed with the recipe.
3. Measure out the rest of the ingredients. 
4. Cream the butter and 2/3 cup of sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture. 
5. Beat in the egg yolks until well blended. 
6. Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle 1 Tbsp. sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. 
7. With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the almonds, and almond extract.
8.  Immediately stir in one fourth of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter.
9. Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one third of the flour and continue folding. 
10. Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all egg whites and flour are incorporated. 
11. Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in middle level of preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2 1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a needle plunged into that area comes out clean; the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and a needle comes out oily. 
12. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. 
13. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack. 
14. Allow it to cool for an hour or two; it must be thoroughly cold if it is to be iced. 
    
    
    

Chocolate-Butter Icing

Kitchen Supplies:

Small covered pan

Larger pan of almost simmering water

Wooden spoon

Bowl with tray of ice cubes and water to cover them

Small flexible-blade metal spatula or table knife

Ingredients:

2 ounces (2 squares) semisweet baking chocolate

2 Tbsp. rum or coffee

5 to 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

1. Place the chocolate and rum or coffee in the small pan, cover and set in the larger pan of almost simmering water. 
2. Remove pans from heat and let chocolate melt for 5 minutes or so, until perfectly smooth. Lift chocolate pan out of the hot water, and beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time. 
3. Then beat over the ice and water until chocolate mixture has cooled to spreading consistency. 
4. At once spread it over your cake with spatula or knife.