This wonderful Chocolate Almond Amaretti Cake, inspired by Giada’s Everyday Italian cookbook, includes semisweet chocolate chips, slivered almonds, amaretti cookies, unsalted butter, and a hint of orange zest. Perfect as a decadent dessert, this cake recipe serves up to 4 people.

Amaretti, meaning “little bitters,” are airy, crunchy almond cookies that are delightful on their own but also make an excellent cake ingredient. The soft cake and crisp cookie texture contrast perfectly. When you’re torn between cookies or cake, enjoy them together!

Giada Chocolate Amaretti Cake Ingredients

• Butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray
• 3/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup of slivered almonds
• 1 cup (about 2 ounces) of baby amaretti cookies
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest (from approximately 1 orange)
• 4 large eggs
• About 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, for sifting

How To Make Giada Chocolate Amaretti Cake

1. Preheat Your Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with butter-flavored nonstick spray and place it in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the batter.
2. Melt the Chocolate: In a small bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds, until they are completely melted and smooth. This should take around 2 minutes.
3. Prepare the Nut and Cookie Mix: Combine the slivered almonds and amaretti cookies in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground. Transfer this mixture to a separate bowl and set aside.
4. Cream Butter Mixture: Add the butter, sugar, and orange zest to the food processor and blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth. With the processor running, add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next.
5. Combine Ingredients: Add the ground almond cookie mixture and the melted chocolate to the food processor. Pulse until everything is well combined and the batter is smooth.
6. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake it in the preheated oven until the center puffs up and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. This should take about 35 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a serving platter. Sift unsweetened cocoa powder over the top, and it’s ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

• Chill your mixing bowl: To help your batter stay cool and prevent over-mixing, place your mixing bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before starting.
• Finely chop almonds for better texture: If you want a more uniform cake texture, try chopping the almonds extra fine, almost to a powder, before mixing.
• Use high-quality chocolate chips: Using premium chocolate chips will make a noticeable difference in flavor, giving your cake a richer and smoother chocolate taste.
• Let the cake cool in the pan: Allowing the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan prevents crumbling and helps achieve a denser, fudgier texture.
• Try a bit of espresso powder: Adding a teaspoon of espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor, creating a deeper taste without making it overly bitter.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

Check out More Giada Recipes:

• Giada Torta Caprese Recipe
• Giada Chocolate Coconut Cake Recipe
• Giada Chocolate Pistachio Tart