Recipes from Mouse House Cooking Clips: Chocolate & Toasted Almond Cake

June 10, 2026

Chocolate & Toasted Almond Cake

Recipes from Mouse House Cooking Clips

Originally published in Better Homes & Gardens, June 1996.

A Little Recipe from Mouse House Cooking Clips

Some of my most treasured possessions are not toys, books or keepsakes.

They're recipes.

For more than thirty years, I have carefully collected recipes from magazines, newspapers and cookbooks, cutting them out and preserving them inside a treasured scrapbook called Cooking Clips that my grandmother gave me many years ago.

Over time, it has become one of my most treasured possessions.

Every page tells a story.

Some recipes remind me of birthdays, others of Christmas lunches, quiet Sunday afternoons or family gatherings where everyone squeezed around the kitchen table waiting for something delicious to come out of the oven.

This Chocolate & Toasted Almond Cake is one of those treasured recipes.

Originally published in Better Homes & Gardens magazine in June 1996, it soon found its way into my Cooking Clips scrapbook, where it has remained a much-loved family favourite ever since.

Rich, chocolatey and beautifully balanced with toasted almonds, it's perfect for afternoon tea, celebrations and sharing with the people you love.

One of the things I enjoy most about this cake is how easily it can be adapted throughout the year. At Easter, I decorate it with miniature chocolate eggs around the edge. For birthdays, it becomes a celebration cake topped with colourful sprinkles and candles. At Christmas, a generous dusting of icing sugar transforms it into something wonderfully festive.

Today, through Recipes from Mouse House Cooking Clips, I'm delighted to share it with you. I hope it becomes a treasured favourite in your home too.

🍰 Mouse House Kitchen Tip

Take your time with this recipe.

Toast the almond meal until it is lightly golden, allow the chocolate mixture to cool before adding the eggs and gently fold through the beaten egg whites. These simple steps create the rich yet surprisingly light texture that has made this cake a family favourite for almost thirty years.

Ingredients

Cake

240g almond meal
120g unsalted butter
180g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup caster sugar
5 eggs, separated
¼ teaspoon salt

Shiny Chocolate Icing

250g good-quality dark chocolate
125g unsalted butter
50ml water

Decoration

Sifted cocoa powder or icing sugar
Mini chocolate eggs (optional Easter decoration)
Sprinkles and candles (optional birthday decoration)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter and line the base of a 24cm round cake tin.
Spread the almond meal onto an oven tray and toast until pale golden, stirring regularly. Remove and allow to cool.
Combine the butter, chocolate and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Whisk the egg yolks lightly and pour into the cooled chocolate mixture, whisking until fully incorporated. Stir in the toasted almond meal.
Beat the egg whites with the salt until soft peaks form. Fold one-third into the chocolate mixture to lighten it before gently folding through the remaining egg whites.
Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until the centre feels firm and springs back lightly when touched.
Cool the cake completely before turning onto a wire rack.

Shiny Chocolate Icing

Combine the chocolate, butter and water in a saucepan over low heat.
Stir regularly until melted and smooth. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
Leave to cool until slightly thickened but still pourable.
Pour over the cooled cake, allowing the icing to gently run down the sides.
Leave to set before serving.

Serving Suggestions

This cake is delicious served simply with a light dusting of cocoa powder or icing sugar.

For a special dessert, serve with fresh cream and caramelised orange slices.

For family celebrations, try one of our favourite traditions:

🌸 Easter – Decorate with miniature chocolate eggs around the edge.

🎂 Birthdays – Add colourful sprinkles and candles.

🎄 Christmas – Finish with a generous dusting of icing sugar for a snowy festive touch.

Every celebration tells a slightly different story while beginning with the same treasured recipe.

From the Pages of Cooking Clips

Some recipes are made once.

Others become part of the family.

This Chocolate & Toasted Almond Cake has been lovingly preserved inside my Cooking Clips scrapbook for almost three decades, and every time it's baked another memory is added to its story.

I hope it finds a place in your family's traditions too.

We'd Love to See Your Baking

Every family adds its own special touch to a treasured recipe.

Whether you've baked this Chocolate & Toasted Almond Cake for a birthday, Easter celebration, Christmas gathering or simply enjoyed it with a cup of tea, we'd love to see your version.

Share your baking on Instagram and tag @mousehousecollective.au so we can celebrate your beautiful creations with our Mouse House community.

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