Torta caprese al limone

That I can’t resist lemon desserts you already know, so it’s no surprise this lemon cake caught my attention the minute I saw it: not only because I wanted to use the white chocolate in my pantry, but also because cakes made with the addition of almond meal always turn out really moist and tender, and this is no exception – and since the almond meal replaces the all purpose flour in this recipe the cake is, besides delicious, gluten free, too.

Torta caprese al limone
slightly adapted from the usual suspect Delicious - Australia

160g unsalted butter, chopped
160g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
170g granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 2 large lemons
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
280g almond meal
pinch of salt
icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°C. Butter a 20cm (8in) round cake pan, line the base with baking paper and butter the paper as well.
Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Using an electric mixer with the wire whisk, beat egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until thick and pale. Add zest, juice and vanilla. Beat until combined. Stir in almond meal and chocolate mixture. Set aside.
Using a clean and dry whisk, beat the egg whites and salt in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Fold half of the egg white into the batter until just combined. Fold in the remaining egg white until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 160°C/320°F. Bake for a further 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Carefully unmold, remove the paper, and transfer to a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Serves 6-8