Lemon Chocolate Cake

Why This Recipe Works

Top Reasons You'll Love this Recipe

• Simple and Elegant
• No Fuss Decorations
• Decadent and Rich

Our chocolate lemon cake is a delicious twist on Richard Sax's Chocolate Cloud Cake. The cake has a chocolate and lemon cake base that is beautifully rich with the perfect balance of rich chocolate and tangy lemon, made even better with a silky white chocolate lemon cream, and candied lemon peels.

Known as a "fallen chocolate cake" it's characterized by its signature cracks and a sunken center. The whipped egg whites and sugar form a thin, crisp crust, with a decadent, brownie-like interior

Flourless and naturally gluten-free, this cake is as beautiful as it is simple to make, making it the ideal centerpiece for holidays, birthdays, or any special occasion.

Ingredient Notes

• Chocolate. Use good quality dark or bittersweet chocolate. I prefer a dark chocolate around 60%.
• Butter. Salted or unsalted butter can be used here.
• Eggs. Use large eggs.
• Sugar. White granulated sugar is used in the cake and the candied lemon peels,
• Lemons. You'll need lemon zest and lemon juice for the lemon chocolate cake, lemon zest for the lemon white chocolate cream, and lemon peel for the candied lemon peel.
• White Chocolate. Use good quality white chocolate, not chocolate chips, for the lemon white chocolate cream.
• Cream. Use heavy whipping cream.
• Water. Water is used in making the candied lemon peel.

How to Make this Recipe

Full recipe with measurements are provided in the recipe card below

Lemon Chocolate Cake

1. Melt the Chocolate. Set a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water. Add chopped chocolate to the bowl, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in room temperature butter until smooth.
2. Combine Eggs & Chocolate. Separate the 4 eggs into yolks and whites in separate bowls. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 whole eggs, 4 egg yolks, and ½ cup (100g) sugar. Gradually add a small amount of the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, whisking to temper the eggs. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and the rest of the chocolate mixture, whisking until smooth.

3. Whip Egg Whites. Place the egg whites into a clean bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until foamy. Slowly add in the remaining ½ cup (100g) sugar, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. (To check for soft peaks, lift the beater; the egg whites should form a peak that bends over at the tip.)

4. Fold in the Egg Whites. Gently fold a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate batter. Once combined, fold in the remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.

5. Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 30-40 minutes. The cake should puff up and crack, but the center should remain firm. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

White Chocolate Lemon Cream

1. Simmer the Cream. In a small saucepan, combine lemon zest and cream, bringing it to a simmer for 2 minutes.
2. Make Ganache. Place the white chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate, scraping the sides and bottom of the saucepan so you don't lose any lemon zest. Whisk the mixture until completely smooth. If lumps persist, microwave the mixture in 15-second increments, whisking in between, until fully smooth.

3. Chill the Cream: Stir in the remaining cream, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. Whip the Cream: Once chilled, use a hand mixer to whip the white chocolate lemon cream until it reaches thick, stiff peaks, similar to whipped cream.

Candied Lemon Peel

Optional, for garnish

1. Prepare the Lemons. Wash the lemons thoroughly. Using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel long strips of lemon zest, avoiding the bitter white pith. Alternatively, cut open the lemon and scrape out the fruit with a spoon to remove the pith, then slice into thin strips.

2. Candy the Peels. In a small saucepan, combine equal parts water and sugar, bringing it to a boil. Add the lemon peel and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Keep a close eye on the peels to prevent burning. The peels are done when they become transparent and tender. If necessary, simmer a bit longer. Remove from heat and let the peels cool in the syrup for 5-10 minutes.

2. Dry the Peels. Use a fork to remove the candied peels and spread them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them dry for 15-20 minutes.

Assembly

1. Prepare the Cake. Once all components have cooled, use a thin knife to run along the edge of the cake, loosening it from the sides of the springform pan before removing the outer ring.
2. Assemble. Spoon the white chocolate lemon cream into the center of the cake's sunken center. Garnish with candied lemon peels. If you've opted to not make the candied lemon peel you can top with grated chocolate, chocolate curls, a dusting of cocoa powder, or fresh lemon zest.
3. Serve Slice the cake into wedges and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Expert Tips

• Use orange in place of lemon. If you'd like to try a flavor swap, try adding orange zest and orange juice in place of the lemon in this recipe.
• Don't get the pith. This lemon chocolate cake mostly relies on lemon zest for the lemon flavor. When you zest the lemon, be sure to just get the yellow part and not the pith. The pith is the bitter white skin beneath the yellow outer skin of the lemon. Don't forget to wash your lemons before zesting them!
• Use liquor. Try swapping the lemon juice in this cake recipe for limoncello or if trying an orange version of this recipe, use Grand Marnier.
• Use a scale. The ingredients for this recipe are provided in both weight and cups. However, you will have the best, most accurate results if you use a scale to weight your ingredients. It leaves little room for error.
• Don't over bake.  Over baking this chocolate and lemon cake will make the cake dry. It is better to under bake this cake slightly than to over bake it. 

Egg White Tips

• Use Room Temperature Eggs. Room temperature eggs whip up better than cold ones. If your eggs are cold, place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
• Use a Clean Bowl. Egg whites will whip better in a glass or metal bowl. Make sure there is no trace of grease or oil in the bowl, the easiest way to do this is to wipe the inside of the bowl down with a bit of vinegar or lemon juice.
• Separate the Eggs Carefully. When separating the eggs whites from the yolks, do it extremely carefully. Even a smidge of yolk can impede the egg whites ability to whip up properly.
• Don't Over Mix. When folding the whipped egg whites into the cakes, do so carefully! Make sure you are doing a circular folding motion to keep the egg whites from deflating. Continue folding until there are no more streaks of chocolate, do not mix beyond this point or your cake will deflate too much, altering the texture.

How to Make this Cake in Advance

The individual elements of this chocolate lemon cake can easily be made 1-2 days in advance and then assembled before serving. The cake is actually better if made 1 day in advance-the flavors develop and the texture improves!

The lemon white chocolate ganache can be made and then whipped up before serving or it can be whipped in advance. The white chocolate in the cream helps stabilize the cream. However, If you find that your cream has fallen, or gotten a little too loose in the fridge, just give it a quick whip and it should stiffen up. On the flipside, if your cream is too thick you can add a splash of cream to the mixture and whip it until it is the right consistency.

How to Store this Recipe

This cake (without the white chocolate lemon cream) can be stored at room temperature for several days. It should be loosely covered with foil or plastic wrap. Once the cream is on top, it should be covered and stored in the refrigerator. It's best eaten within 5 days of being made, however it will still be good for longer.

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