Three chocolate-topped cake squares on a white serving spatula, each decorated with small speckled mini eggs. A bowl of additional eggs is in the foreground on a white surface.

Moist Chocolate and Rum Squares

55 minutes - 1 hour

Makes 12

This recipe is from Delia's Cakes.

If there is an ultimate chocolate cake this one could be high on the list of contenders.

No flour, just chocolate, ground almonds and whipped egg whites which make it so light and airy, and extremely moist. It doesn’t have to be cut into squares, you could serve it as a cake with candles or Easter eggs on top. Either way it is one of the best chocolate cakes ever.

This recipe contains no gluten

The Delia Online Cookery School: For more chocolate cake ideas, watch our video on this page.

Got a question on Delia's recipes? Ask Lindsey

Ask a Question

Method

First place the butter, sugar and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk them for about a minute until thoroughly blended.

Then fold in the almonds and grated chocolate. Now, with a clean dry whisk, whisk the egg whites to the soft peak stage – not too stiff – and then carefully fold half into the chocolate mixture, followed by the other half. You can watch how to whisk egg whites in our Cookery School video on this page.

Spread the mixture in the prepared tin, levelling it with the back of a tablespoon, and bake near the centre of the oven for about 55 minutes to 1 hour or until it feels springy in the centre. Leave the cake to cool in the tin, and then lift the cake out using the liner. Place it on a board, then holding the liner at one end, use a palette knife to slide the cake directly onto the board. Now put the broken-up chocolate in a bowl over a pan of 5cm barely simmering water, without the bowl touching the water.

When it’s melted (5–10 minutes), take it off the heat and stir in the cream and 1 tablespoon of rum. Then let the icing cool and thicken a bit. Sprinkle the surface of the cake with the other tablespoon of rum, and spread with the cooled chocolate icing, using a palette knife. Leave the icing to set before cutting it into squares.

Then store in an airtight tin.

For more chocolate cake recipes click on our Online Cookery School Video on this page

Ingredients

150g spreadable butter

150g golden caster sugar

5 large eggs, separated

150g ground almonds

150g grated dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), chilled

For the icing:

110g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), broken up

1 tablespoon double cream or crème fraiche

2 tablespoons rum

Equipment

You will need a Delia Online Oblong Tin 20cm by 26cm, 4cm deep, base and sides lined with a non-stick liner (or similar)

Our bakeware range is now available online, and you can buy our Delia Online Oblong Tin and washable and reusable Oblong Tin Liner direct from Silverwood.

Click here for the liner
Click here for the tin