Mocha Chia Cake

A dense, fudgy, and nutty cake with chia seeds that goes excellently with a rich cup of coffee. This is my sister-in-law's and my go-to chocolate fix, as we cannot have gluten.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 474 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup whipped cream
• ½ cup butter, cubed
• 1 cup white sugar, divided
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• ½ cup chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 cups ground hazelnuts
• 7 ounces dark chocolate chips
• 1 ¼ cups Italian roast coffee, brewed strong and cooled
• ½ cup instant cappuccino mix (such as GENERAL FOODS INTERNATIONAL COFFEES®)
• 12 ounces dark chocolate
• 1 ounce coffee-flavored liqueur (such as Kahlua®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom of a 10-inch nonstick springform pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

Soak 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon chia seeds in coffee for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler. Let cool.

Step 4

Beat egg whites and 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Step 5

Beat egg yolks, vanilla, and remaining sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture. Fold in soaked chia seeds, hazelnuts, and cappuccino mix. Stir in egg white mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan, at least 1 hour, before transferring to a wire rack with a parchment paper-lined baking sheet underneath to catch excess during coating.

Step 7

Meanwhile, melt dark chocolate, instant espresso powder, and shortening in a double boiler. Pour over cooled cake, coating top and sides evenly. Let cool until set.

Step 8

While the coating sets, beat whipped cream, coffee-flavored liqueur, and cappuccino mix together with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Use to pipe desired designs on cooled cake.