Passover Mocha Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 2⁄3 cup (4 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup matzo cake meal
• 9 large eggs, yolks and whites separated into large bowls, whites at room temperature
• 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1⁄8 tsp ground cloves 1⁄8 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1⁄4 cup boiling water, cooled
• 1⁄3 cup oil

Glaze & Decoration

• 1⁄2 cup (3 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 pt strawberries, rinsed and patted dry

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need a rimmed baking sheet and a 10 x 41⁄2-in. tube pan with a removable tube insert.

2. Cake: Spread almonds on baking sheet. Bake 5 to 6 minutes until lightly toasted, then cool.

3. Meanwhile, pulse 2⁄3 cup chocolate chips in food processor until finely ground. Scrape into a medium bowl.

4. Pulse almonds, 1⁄4 cup sugar and the cake meal in food processor until almonds are finely ground. Add to chocolate; stir to blend.

5. Beat egg whites with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Gradually beat in 1⁄4 cup sugar and continue beating just until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. Set aside.

6. Beat yolks, remaining 1 cup sugar, spices, salt, the coffee and oil just to blend. Fold in 1⁄4 of the whites, then the nut mixture. Fold in remaining whites; pour into ungreased tube pan.

7. Bake 55 minutes, or until top looks dry and cake springs back when gently touched. Immediately invert the pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely, upside down.

8. To unmold: Gently run a knife around edge of pan and inner tube. Holding tube, lift out cake. Run a knife between bottom of insert and cake; invert and remove insert.

9. Glaze and decorate up to 1 hour before serving: Melt chocolate as package directs, but with the oil added. Stir together until well combined. Cool chocolate for 4 minutes. Drizzle most over cake; dip berries in remaining glaze and place on cake.