Lisbon Chocolate Cake
- Total Time
- About 1 hour, plus cooling
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:One 9-inch cake (about 10 servings)
- ½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into chunks, plus more for greasing the pan
- ⅓cup/30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼teaspoon baking powder
- ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5ounces/140 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- 3large eggs, chilled
- 1¾cups/420 milliliters heavy cream
- 6ounces/170 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
For the Cake
For the Ganache
For the Topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
450 calories; 36 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 28 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 106 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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- Step 1
Make the cake: Center a rack in the oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line with parchment paper and butter the paper.
- Step 2
Sift together the cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend.
- Step 3
Put the ½ cup butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Scatter the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate on top, and heat, stirring often, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove the bowl from the pan, and stir in the sugar. One by one, energetically stir in the eggs, beating for 1 minute after the last egg is added. The mixture will look like pudding. Stir in the dry ingredients. Scrape the mixture into the cake pan, and give the pan a couple of good raps against the counter to settle the batter.
- Step 4
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (or with only a tiny streak of chocolate). Transfer to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then unmold the cake. Peel off the paper, invert the cake and cool to room temperature. Wash and dry the cake pan.
- Step 5
Make the ganache: Pour 1¼ cups cream into a small saucepan; refrigerate the rest. Scald the cream over medium heat, turn off the heat and stir in the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate until fully incorporated. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate the ganache for 10 minutes, whisk it, then refrigerate again for 10 minutes. Repeat chilling and whisking steps until the ganache is thick enough to make tracks when you stir, 50 to 60 minutes.
- Step 6
Cut two 3-by-16-inch pieces of parchment or foil, and crisscross them in the cake pan. Carefully return the cake to the pan. (The mousse layer is too soft to stand on its own until it's chilled. It needs the support of the pan sides.)
- Step 7
Whip the remaining ½ cup cream until it holds medium peaks.
- Step 8
Using a whisk, gently beat the ganache until it’s soft and spreadable. With a spatula, fold in the whipped cream. Spread over the cake, and refrigerate for 2 hours (or cover and keep for up to 2 days). The cake is best served cool or at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.
- Step 9
To finish, put the cocoa powder in a fine-mesh strainer, and shake it over the top of the cake. Run a table knife along the sides of the pan. Using the parchment or foil handles, carefully lift the cake out of the pan and onto a serving plate. Discard the strips. Cut the cake using a long knife that has been run under hot water and wiped dry between each cut.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Suzanne F
Instead of working in the order given, start by heating the oven, then make the ganache, then make the cake while the ganache is chilling: Step 1, Step 5, Steps 2 through 4, Steps 6 through 9. It will still take more than 1 hour, but not as much as working straight through. (I haven't tried this, but think it will work.)
Goalie1998
The whole recipe is supposed to take about an hour, but making the ganache alone takes about an hour... interesting math, must be common core...
WK
Former pastry chef here. I think the best cocoa is Valrhona. It has an assertive chocolate flavor but doesn't ever produce a bitter product. It's also a beautiful rich color, deep warm brown. You can order it from Worldwide Chocolate, Chocosphere or Kalustyan's. I have a simple brownie recipe made with cocoa only - no unsweetened chocolate -- and Valrhona does the trick.
Matt
Why do virtually all recipes that call for using an oven give, as the first step, to preheat the oven, regardless of how much time will be spent preparing what goes into the oven will transpire ? Commenters here are mentioning how long it takes them to get to the stage where the oven is actually used. i doubt many ovens take more than 15 minutes to reach 325 degrees F. It's a waste of energy. Stop doing it.
Mary
I made this Friday and served it Saturday. I used a springform pan and had no trouble whatsoever with setting the mousse. I added a pinch of espresso powder to the cake. I added a pinch of fine sea salt and a drop of vanilla to the ganache. The cake was refrigerated overnight and I took it out 3 hours before serving. I served it at a dinner party for 7 people. It was a smashing success. This cake was easy and delicious, I only used a hand mixer to whip the cream. I highly recommend this cake.
Susan B. A.
Matt - your idea is intuitive, but incorrect. Most ovens have a sensor in only one corner. When IT (and only it) reaches the desired temp, it dings or buzzes. But - the oven walls, roof, floor & full middle are not yet there! Rule of thumb: below 350 F, it takes 30 minutes. Higher, or with a baking stone takes a good *hour*. Try it, and your baking will be greatly improved.
Edie
Is the 5 oz of dark chocolate semi sweet or bittersweet or unsweetened.?
Mary
I made this in a springform pan. Additionally, at the step where the cake is returned to the pan, I put a layer of ganache on my serving dish placed the cake on that and then reset the side of the springform only. This way, when the mousse was set, I was able to dust with the cocoa and remove the form and the cake was ready to serve without having to transfer it. It was a breeze this way.
Anon
Any reason not to use a springform pan?
Rusalka
Worth noting: this is a gluten-free, flourless cake, so it's perfect for chocoholics and those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.
CFXK
Lots of comments on: measuring weight vs. volume; order of steps and time required; and types of chocolate and cocoa. How about the cake itself? Is there anyone here who actually cooked this cake and can tell us whether it is any good or not?
RN
I think this is an A+ recipe. I agree with other bakers' notes on the springform pan and beginning the ganache first. I used a 95% dark chocolate for the cake and 70% for the ganache, both from Madécasse Chocolate, which made it a much brighter cake with a fun contrast between the sweeter ganache and deep, dark base.
Abbey
Has anyone used a spring form pan for this? Take the sides off, let the cake cool. Put the sides back on and add the ganache.
Patricia
The way that today's ovens work is that as they're warming up, they spike high (above the designated temp), then drop off, then repeat until they reach the desired temp and level off, which an oven tech told me takes an hour in the fancy new Wolfe, Thermador, etc., ovens. If you are lucky enough to have an old, reliable oven, and you know you can preheat it in 15 minutes, do it! But wondering why your high-end oven cooks baked goods unevenly? Preheat an hour and see if it gets better.
Beate
Because liquids are measured in volume, not weight. A cup of milk does not have the same volume or weight as a cup of flour, yet they are both a cup.
Tess
Loved this cake the first time I tried it when a friend brought it for a gathering. Finally made it myself and it was just as good as I remembered. I did everything in the order of the recipe and it was great. I wouldn't recommend doing the ganache first, just follow the recipe and it turns out fine. Other than just go ahead and use a spring form pan for the cake, no need to invert it.
Pf
Delicious. Worth the effort...which does take 2 hours with all the whisking. You do not need to finish the cake with 3 tablespoons!!! of cocoa powder...that much will make people cough and choke. Maybe 3 teaspoons will do plenty.
Jordan
Well, I had some issues. The moussey-ganache topping never set and I'm not sure why. Maybe I didn't whip that last half cup of cream stiff enough? And, therefore, I didn't take it out of the fridge to warm before serving, which made the bottom half a very heavy, stiff, unappealing texture. I was hoping for something with a little more fluff, top and and bottom. This is definitely like a dense brownie base. And, in my case, a globby, cascading pool of creamy sauce on top.
DontComplicateYourLife
I also started the ganache first. And I used a springform pan. A couple unnecessary steps in the recipe - no need to melt butter and chocolate over boiling water. Just keep heat on low and use a heavy bottomed saucepan, stir often. I’m not sure what that whole thing is about taking out the cake, inverting it, etc etc… just keep it on the springform bottom thing. Didn’t need to chill it either! Spread mousse once it’s at room temp and eat it. It’s delicious! I used guittard chocolate.
Angela
This is the first time making this cake and I usually follow the recipe to the letter the first time. Note the 1 1/2 tablespoon of corn starch as I nearly used 1/2 teaspoon for the 1/2 tablespoon called for in the recipe.
Becky
Making the ganache first to let it cool is a great suggestion.
Nora
Made this and would make it again and again. Big hit, not terribly technically challenging and delicious. Did end up making the ganache first per suggestions but found my cake wasn’t cool enough but the time the ganache was ready. Made in a 9” springform pan which worked fine. Wondering if anyone had tried this in an 8” pan? Would like a little more height if possible!
grace
I doubled the amounts for the ganache layer and used semisweet bakers chocolate. I also used a springform pan with no parchment paper, as I did not have any on hand. I otherwise followed the recipe as written. This is one of the best desserts I have ever made. Don’t overbook the cake base and make sure you take your time whipping the ganache layer, and you will love the results.
Dave in TX
Was a great recipe. I adjusted the cake adding a tablespoon of espresso and a teaspoon of cayenne. It gave it a nice zing.
jdt
This is an amazing cake! I'm not a great baker but this turned out great. Used 2-1 70% and 60% chocolate. I accidentally added all the cream to the chocolate so put in the rest of the chocolate I had and whipped the remaining cream (less than 1/2 a cup) and it was still very good. Took less time to bake than stated. Good cold and also room temperature when it's 'melt-in-the-mouth' as my colleague said. Used a springform pan like the rest, don't understand why it wasn't called for in the recipe??
Vika
Made this for Thanksgiving, everyone loved it. It's a very easy cake to make, for a great payoff. Thanks for the suggestion to us a springform pan.
Mimi
I don’t understand why you have to invert the cake to cool, or is to just remove the parchment paper? Mine stuck to the plate, then fell apart when I transferred back into the springform cake pan. Could I not use parchment and just a lot of butter? Why also do you need to wash the springform? I didn’t since cake was going back in. I salvaged the cake, added the ganache, but am worried about removing the broken cake onto platter. I might keep the base on. We’ll see how guests like it tonight!
Catherine
Excellent recipe! I added a 1/4 tsp of cardamon to the dry ingredients for the cake portion, just enough to come through without taking away from the cocoa goodness. Next time I'll do that and some orange zest.
PuffThaddy
Perfect for a not too sweet dense chocolate dessert. Fairly easy considering a multistep cake. Tastes more complex than recipe would suggest.
overdoit
Thank you! Heading there next week, looking forward to the cake!
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