Recipe: Caprese Cake (chocolate cake using melba toast crumbs and ground almonds)

CAPRESE CAKE
"This chocolate cake, a specialty of Capri and a favorite of Valentino, is delicious served with vanilla ice cream."

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
3 1/2 ounces mini Melba toasts (available at most supermarkets)
2 tablespoons margarine
5 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup ground almonds
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, grated, plus more for garnish
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch round springform pan with extra butter and dust it with flour.

Place the Melba toasts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely crushed.

In a small saucepan, melt the 10 tablespoons of butter and the margarine over low heat. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the crushed toasts, baking powder, salt, and almonds and stir to combine. Add the chocolate and the melted butter and margarine and mix together until well blended. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out almost clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack. Invert onto a serving plate and garnish with a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar and grated chocolate.

Makes 8 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: R.S.V.P. by Nan Kempner