A Special Cake For A Special Mom

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A joke going around on this week is that all a mom wants on Mother’s Day is for some peace and quiet and for no one to touch her. Funnily for those of us with one or multiple little ones, this can be a real thing.

But of course, we also know that this is not possible this quarantine season. So, for a memorable experience celebrating Mother’s Day for both my kids and I, we are going to be baking a simple, rich and moist chocolate cake. Together. Because, as much as it is a day for mums, it is our precious children who have raised our stature to a heroic multi-role playing resilient human being.

This moist chocolate cake is also flourless and is the perfect indulgence that you can whip up with your little army in tow, while being in quarantine.

It is a one bowl recipe that doesn't need any special tools, assembly or decorating. It is a chocolate cake made simple. And that is my takeaway on this day. A cake that I can involve my children in a fun and non-fussy do-it-together activity, so we can all feel special.

Made only with eggs, chocolate, butter and some baking powder (how long does baking powder last?) as the main ingredients, this flourless chocolate cake is exceptionally good.

Espresso powder (how long does espresso powder last?) and unsweetened cocoa powder give it the deep chocolatey flavor and also the density a flourless cake requires.

A delicious mocha whipped cream recipe that you can pipe onto the cake or just serve on the side.

Let me give you a rundown off all the ingredients that we will be using and their role in making the cake that extra bit special.

What Goes Into The Cake?

• Eggs: Eggs in this recipe replace the flour (how long does flour last?) and create the bulk of the cake’s texture. They are also what allow the cake to rise.

• Chocolate and Butter: The real secret here is to use pure baking chocolate (how long does baking chocolate last?) and not chocolate chips (how long do chocolate chips last?). Chocolate chips, buttons, candies are all processed and have stabilizers in them that will not give us the silky consistency we're aiming for. 6 ounces of pure semisweet chocolate baking bars is what we need.

• Espresso powder: Espresso flavor doesn’t necessarily add a coffee flavor profile, rather it allows for more depth in the cake.

• Sugar (how long does sugar last?), salt and vanilla extract: Sugar and salt and both essential ingredients as they add flavor, and pure vanilla extract provides depth in this chocolate cake.

• Unsweetened Cocoa powder: Please use natural cocoa powder as this also replaces flour in the recipe besides giving it the rich chocolatey taste.

• Baking powder: Just a little baking powder will ‘lift’ the cake somewhat, but it is overall pretty flat.

Now that we know what the ingredients do, let's bake some chocolate cake!

What You Will Need:

For The Cake (serves 8):

• 4 large eggs

• Half cup unsalted butter, roughly 115 grams

• 6 ounces or 170 grams good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely

• 2 teaspoons espresso powder

• 2/3rd cup or 135 grams granulated sugar

• 1/3rd cup or 28 grams unsweetened natural cocoa powder

• 1/8th teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder(optional)

For The Mocha Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup or 240 grams cold heavy cream

• 3 tablespoons or 22 grams confectioners’ sugar

• 1 teaspoon espresso powder

• 1 teaspoon warm water

• a tablespoon or 6 grams of unsweetened natural cocoa powder

To Make The Flourless Chocolate Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease an 8-inch round pan. Line it with parchment paper all around and grease the parchment paper. Do not skip this step as the cake tends to stick if the parchment is not greased.

3. Cut the butter into pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the chopped chocolate. Melt in the microwave at 20 second increments making sure you stir after each increment until it is completely melted. Let it cool down about two to three minutes.

4. Whisk in the espresso powder, vanilla and sugar into the chocolate and butter mix. Afterwards, whisk in the eggs. The batter will be almost like brownie batter -heavy and thick.

5. Add the dry ingredients and whisk to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the cake pan.

6. Since this is an egg heavy cake, it needs a steamy oven to prevent drying. Fill with hot water, a large roasting dish and place it on the bottom oven rack. Keep the cake on the center rack and shut the door to trap the steam inside. The steamy oven will ensure you get an extra moist cake.

7. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check on it after 25 minutes to make sure you don't over bake it, which will then dry it out.

8. Take it out of the oven and place the cake on a cooling rack and let it cool for only 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife and release the warm cake from around the edges and invert onto a serving plate. Cool completely then for about 2 hours.

9. Once cooled, top it with the mocha whipped cream.

To Make The Mocha Cream:

1. Mix the espresso powder and warm water in a small bowl.

2. Whip the heavy cream, cocoa powder, sugar and espresso mixture on medium to high speed until you get medium peaks. This can take somewhere about 3 to 4 minutes. Pipe on to the cake or serve as a side.

Additional Toppings That You Could Use:

Feel free to play with toppings. Some great options are:

• Fresh berries

• A drizzle of salted caramel

• Serve alongside strawberry sauce

• Top with chocolate and ganache

Useful Tips!

Since this is a flourless cake, I suggest you do not play around with the other ingredients or substitute them with others. Follow the steamy oven trick to get a moist cake. For a fudgey texture, is especially important not to overcook the cake!

Hope you enjoy it and happy Mother's Day!