French food personality Hervé Palmieri’s easy chocolate cake is incredibly moist, tender, and full of chocolate flavor. A wedge of it begs to be picked up and eaten by hand (which I gladly do) making it perfect for bigger bites alongside a cup of coffee. Surprisingly, this cake contains no butter (a win for lower calorie count!) and instead incorporates two cooked, puréed carrots (another plus for nutrition!). It should not be considered a “carrot cake,” however, as no one will taste or see the carrots. The batter comes together easily in a blender, ensuring the carrots are fully processed. The carrots add natural sweetness and help maintain moisture to compensate for the lack of butter. It’s a delicious and decadent chocolate cake with a little less guilt.
Makes one 7-inch (18 cm) cake
FOR THE CAKE
7 oz (200 g) carrots (2 medium)
7 oz (200 g) 55%-60% cacao dairy-free dark chocolate
3 large (150 g) eggs
2 Tbsp (30 ml) neutral-flavor oil
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla sugar or pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup scooped, leveled, but not packed (80 g) dark brown sugar
¼ cup + 3 Tbsp (50 g) cake flour, plus 2 tablespoons more for the pan
1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup + 3 Tbsp (50 g) almond flour
FOR THE GLOSSY CHOCOLATE TOPPING
2½ oz (68 g) 55%-60% cacao dairy-free dark chocolate
1 tsp (5 ml) neutral-flavor oil
Special equipment
One 7 by 4-inch (18 by 10 cm) cake pan
Prepare the carrots and pan. Peel the carrots and trim off their rough ends. Place ½ cup (120 ml) water in a 10-inch skillet set over medium heat. Place the carrots in the slightly simmering water, cover the pan, and steam them just until tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting the tip of a knife through the thickest part to ensure they are tender all the way through. While the carrots are cooking, grease the bottom of a 7 by 4-inch (18 by 10 cm) cake pan using shortening and line the bottom with a round piece of parchment paper (Use the bottom of the cake pan to trace a circle of parchment paper the same circumference as the pan. Cut out the circle and place it upside down at the bottom of the pan so that any pencil marks are against it.) Grease the top of the parchment and the sides of the pan with shortening. Add the 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and tilt and rotate the pan to fully and evenly coat the bottom and sides; tap out any excess flour. You can also use cooking spray to adhere the paper, then baking spray to grease the top of the paper and sides of the pan.
Melt the chocolate and preheat the oven. Set the cooked carrots aside to cool. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and gently melt it set in a water bath or over a saucepan containing 1 inch of gently simmering water. Once melted, set aside to stay just slightly warm (the chocolate should not be overheated; if it feels hot, let it cool until it feels only slightly warm before adding it to the mixture). Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the center.
Make the batter. Cut the cooled carrots into large pieces and place them in the jar of a blender. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Blend on the purée setting until completely smooth. Add the brown sugar and blend again until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is completely smooth again.
Thoroughly scrape the melted chocolate into the blender and blend again until the chocolate is fully incorporated and the mixture is completely smooth (you may have to stir a little at the end to achieve this). Pour the chocolate mixture into a medium bowl (use the bowl used to melt the chocolate).
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a strainer or sifter and sift half the mixture into the batter. Stir gently until it is nearly incorporated. Sift in the remaining flour mixture and stir gently until fully incorporated. Using your fingertips, break up any large lumps in the almond flour and then add it to the mixture in thirds, partially incorporating it with each addition and then fully incorporating it once the last third is added; the batter will be thick.
Bake. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and gently shake it to even out the top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and unmold. Set the pan on a cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a small offset spatula around the edge of the cake to help release it from the sides of the pan. Place a serving dish upside down on top of the pan. Quickly but carefully invert the pan and serving dish so that the cake releases upside down and centered on the serving dish; the cake should remain upside down.
Make the glossy chocolate topping. Gently melt the chocolate in a small bowl just until warm and fully melted; do not overheat it. Add the oil and stir to thoroughly combine. Pour the warm chocolate coating onto the center of the cake and spread it out evenly, gently nudging it over the edges in a few spots for a drip effect.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Store covered, at room temperature, to maintain the soft, moist texture. The cake will keep this way for several days. The topping will firm up after several hours but will still be easy to slice.