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A traditional cake from the island of Capri, Torta Caprese is rich, fudgy, and unbelievably delicious. It’s made with ground almonds instead of flour, so it’s naturally gluten-free and deeply chocolatey. It somehow balances being light and almost mousse-like as well as being rich and indulgent, so it feels like a proper treat. It’s perfect for dinner parties, celebrations, or an indulgent afternoon slice of cake.
In this guide, you’ll find an authentic recipe, expert tips to avoid common mistakes, serving ideas, storage advice, and a little history behind this famous flourless cake. You might also want to try my thick French hot chocolate for something indulgent alongside.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- Naturally gluten-free, there is no flour needed.
- Easy but impressive since it requires just a handful of ingredients.
- It can be served in different ways for different effects – serve plain, dusted with cocoa, or dressed up with cream and berries.
- The flavour is deeply chocolatey and rich, perfect for a post-dinner pudding.
What is Torta Caprese?
Torta Caprese is a traditional Italian chocolate and almond cake originating from the island of Capri in the Bay of Naples. The story goes that it was created by mistake when a baker forgot to add flour but the happy accident became an iconic southern Italian cake.
Unlike a sponge cake, it has a dense yet moist texture, almost like a cross between a brownie and a torte. The almonds add a rustic, nutty flavour while the whipped egg whites lighten the crumb just enough to stop it from being heavy.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Dark chocolate – I would advise 70% cocoa solids in your chosen dark chocolate in this cake. There aren’t loads of ingredients so make it a good quality chocolate for best flavour.
Ground almonds – also known as almond meal. This is crucial for the cake texture, but don’t use almond flour – it’s not quite the same. Almond meal/ground almonds are pure almonds into a powder.
Caster sugar – known as superfine sugar in the US. Golden caster sugar and granulated sugar also work.
Substitutions and Variations:
Orange: add orange zest to the melted chocolate for a chocolate orange twist.
Coffee: fold a tablespoon of espresso powder into the melted chocolate for a deeper chocolate flavour.
For something different, drizzle with good olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. This is my favourite.
Serving ideas: I like to serve with softly whipped cream, mascarpone, or vanilla ice cream. Berries add a bit of brightness.
Here’s how to make a perfect torta caprese:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Preheat the oven to 160°Cfan / 180c conventional / 355f. Line and grease a 20–22 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. Separate the egg whites and yolks.
TWO: In a large bowl, beat the butter with half of the sugar (about 65 g) until light and fluffy.
THREE: Add the egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
FOUR: Melt the chocolate and leave to cool. Stir the melted chocolate and ground almonds into the butter mixture.
FIVE: The texture will look grainy – this is normal.
SIX: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining sugar while whisking until firm peaks form (before stiff peaks), but avoid whisking to the point where the egg whites look dry.
SEVEN: Stir about one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites with a spatula, taking care not to knock out too much air. Fold until no streaks of white remain.
EIGHT: Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 30–35 minutes until just set. A slightly under-baked torta caprese is far better than a dry one, so err on the side of caution.
NINE: Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin. Invert onto a plate so the bottom becomes the top, giving a smooth, flat surface.
TEN: Dust generously with cocoa powder (or icing sugar, if you prefer).
Cooking Tips:
Folding is key: if you stir too vigorously, you’ll knock out the air that keeps the cake from being heavy. Use a wide spatula and a gentle motion.
Recipe Tip
It’s normal for it to collapse a little, and it may form a few cracks on the surface as it cools. This is because the hot air escapes the cake and leaves little air gaps that lead to the slight collapse.
Common Issues and How To Fix
Grainy batter: this is normal before baking and it will smooth out in the oven.
Cake is too dry: overbaked, which is hard to fix. Try the recipe again and next time, check 5 minutes earlier. To avoid this, see the guide below for a perfect torta caprese each time.
Cake collapsed in centre: it may be underbaked or egg whites were overwhipped (you just want firm peaks rather than stiff peaks). I would just slice and serve with cream, no one will mind that it slightly dips.
How to tell it’s done
An overbaked torta caprese is really not very nice at all. If you are unsure, definitely err on the side of underbaked rather than overbaked. An overbaked torta caprese is just a little softer and more fudgy.
For some help to tell when it’s done, here are some things to look for:
- A thin, lightly crackled crust on top.
- A slight jiggle in the centre.
- A skewer inserted near the edge should come out with moist crumbs (not completely dry).
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually because the centre was underbaked or the egg whites were overwhipped. A slight dip is normal, but to prevent a collapse, check the doneness (see guide above) and avoid opening the oven door too early.
Up to 3 months. Wrap tightly, freeze, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like this torta caprese, you will also like these other simple cakes like my raspberry & ricotta cake or my upside down plum cake. For more Italian desserts, don’t miss my pistachio tiramisu or my speculoos tiramisu.
Easy Baking Recipes
Chocolate and Pear Cake
Easy Baking Recipes
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Easy Baking Recipes
Matilda’s Chocolate Cake
Easy Baking Recipes
Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate Brownies
If you tried this Torta Caprese or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Torta Caprese
Ingredients
- 225 g dark chocolate, around 70%
- 250 g ground almonds
- 225 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 135 g caster sugar
- 5 large eggs, separated
- Pinch of salt
- Cocoa powder, or icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°Cfan / 180c conventional / 355f. Line and grease a 20–22 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with half of the sugar (about 65 g) until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Melt the chocolate (either gently in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave).
- Stir the melted chocolate and ground almonds into the butter mixture. The texture will look grainy – this is normal.
- In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining sugar while whisking until firm peaks form (before stiff peaks), but avoid whisking to the point where the egg whites look dry.
- Stir about one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it.
- Gently fold in the remaining egg whites with a spatula, taking care not to knock out too much air. Fold until no streaks of white remain.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 30–35 minutes until just set. A slightly under-baked torta caprese is far better than a dry one, so err on the side of caution.
- Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin. Invert onto a plate so the bottom becomes the top, giving a smooth, flat surface. Dust generously with cocoa powder (or icing sugar, if you prefer).
- The video below will help with this recipe.
Video
Notes
- A thin, lightly crackled crust on top.
- A slight jiggle in the centre.
- A skewer inserted near the edge should come out with moist crumbs (not completely dry).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This torta caprese recipe is my favourite method of making a flourless chocolate cake. It’s airy but rich, full of chocolate flavour and just so good.