Torta caprese
Capri's flourless chocolate and almond cake: dark chocolate, butter, ground almonds, sugar and eggs, with a crackled top and a moist, fudgy middle.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Torta caprese is a chocolate and almond cake from Capri made without any flour. Ground almonds give it structure, melted dark chocolate and butter give richness, and eggs give the lift: the yolks beaten with sugar until pale, the whites whisked separately and folded in. Toast the almonds lightly before grinding them for more flavour, and grind them with a spoon of the sugar so they do not turn oily. Fold the whites in gently, in thirds, so the air stays in. Bake until the top has a thin, crackled crust and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs, not clean, and dust it with icing sugar once it is cool. Done is a dense, fudgy cake with a crisp top, tasting of dark chocolate and toasted almond, that keeps well for days.
What you'll need
7 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Almond, blanched, lightly toasted and finely ground200 g
- Dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa, chopped200 g
- Butter, plus more for the tin200 g
- Sugar200 g
- Egg, separated5
- Icing sugar, to dust15 ml
- Salt1 pinch
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Heat the oven to 170°C. Butter and line a 24 cm springform tin. Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat and leave to cool slightly.
10 min
Step 2
Beat the yolks with half the sugar until pale and thick. Stir in the chocolate mixture, then the almonds. Whisk the whites with the salt to soft peaks, add the rest of the sugar and whisk until glossy. Fold into the chocolate in three goes.
15 min
Step 3
Pour into the tin and bake 40–45 minutes, until the top is crackled and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in the tin, then dust with icing sugar.
45 min
Tip: It sinks a little as it cools. That is how it should be.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 395 kcal
- Protein
- 8.2 g
- Carbs
- 27.5 g
- Fat
- 29.6 g
- Saturated fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2.7 g
- Sugar
- 22.3 g
- Sodium
- 61 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Tree nuts
- Eggs
- Milk
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Blanched almonds → Skin-on almonds
A darker, more rustic crumb; many Capri bakers use them.
Tips
- Grind the almonds with a spoon of the sugar so they stay powdery, not oily.
- It is better the next day, and keeps four or five days in a tin.
History & culture
On Capri and along the Amalfi Coast it is the cake of every pasticceria and every home, served in thin slices with coffee or a glass of limoncello. It is gluten-free by nature, which has made it famous far beyond the island. A white version with lemon and white chocolate is a newer local variation.
The story told on Capri is that in the 1920s a cook named Carmine Di Fiore forgot to add flour to an almond cake ordered by American visitors, sometimes said to be Al Capone's men, and the mistake was a hit. Like many such stories it cannot be checked, but the cake has been made on the island for about a century.
Traditional — Almonds, dark chocolate, butter, sugar and eggs. No flour, no baking powder.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Torta caprese take?
1 hr 10 min all in — 25 min prep, 45 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 10 slices. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Tree nuts, Eggs, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Gluten-free.
8 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Mixing bowl, Saucepan, Oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 pinch.
How much sugar?
200 g of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Blanched almonds → Skin-on almonds. A darker, more rustic crumb; many Capri bakers use them.
Any tips from this recipe?
Grind the almonds with a spoon of the sugar so they stay powdery, not oily. It is better the next day, and keeps four or five days in a tin.
Can I prepare this ahead?
It is better the next day, and keeps four or five days in a tin.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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