Julia Child’s Chocolate Almond Cake
22nd of November 2025
I sit here writing this all while enjoying an almond latte and a decedent slice of the cake I am going to tell you about. And let me just say, please don’t judge my coffee order and damn this cake is one of the best cakes I have ever made. Big words I know, especially from someone who has made hundreds of different cakes over the past few years. Cake is one of my favourite food groups. Yes, it’s a food group, if you disagree, we can’t be friends. Cake is one of those things that will make you feel all the feels on every occasion. From birthday’s, to weddings, to baptism and baby showers, or at funerals, or on casual Sunday having coffee with your girlfriends, cake will literally change the way you feel.
I don’t think I have come across a cake I didn’t like. Ok, I lie, I’m not that fond of a hummingbird cake. It’s not awful, it just has a bit too much going on for my liking, from the banana to the pineapple to the walnuts, it’s just too sweet and has a lot going on which doesn't make for a pleasurable eating experience. But my all time favourite cake, in any shape or form is a chocolate cake.
And here we are making a chocolate cake on a dull Saturday morning. A recipe from my favourite cookbook author, Julia Child. Julia Child has been part of my life for quite some time. I found her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume 1 in a tiny second- hand book shop in Melbourne about 6 years ago. The reason I purchased it was because of the very recipe I just made, her chocolate and almond cake. Yes, I’m terrible, it has taken me 6 years to finally make this cake that got me in the feels when I picked up her book for the first time all those years ago. But honestly, if you know me, you will understand my utter obsession with cookbooks and my collection is quite extensive. So, there are MANY recipes I haven’t had the chance to cook yet.
If you want a very good, relatively easy cake to make, this is it. With just a handful of ingredients, most likely what you have in the pantry and a few simple steps you will have a gorgeously delicious chocolate cake in no time. Julia asks for plain chocolate, I wasn’t sure what that meant so I went with a 70% Cadbury Dark Chocolate, mainly as it was on sale and mainly so I didn’t have to sell my left kidney to pay for. I tend to go for a higher percentage dark chocolate in baking, as the sugar content in the chocolate is lower so it will make for a richer chocolatety flavour. But you can choose which every chocolate you like. I do have to say, there is one non-negotiable ingredient in this recipe - the almond extract. You only need the tiniest amount, but it literally makes all the difference and gives this cake the most incredible flavour and aroma. So pretty please do not skip this ingredient.
When I cook or bake from a recipe, I always weigh out all of my ingredients and have them all ready to go. This is a must with this cake recipe as it comes together pretty quickly and you don’t want to be faffing around trying separate your eggs half way through! I did have a little boo boo when I first started making this cake. One of the first steps requires you to melt the chocolate with some coffee and I of course used a shot of coffee from my coffee machine. It bloody split and seized because of the water content in the espresso shot. I was so mad that I didn’t use my noggin and think that those two elements wont melt properly together. But never fear, I managed to save the chocolate by mixing in the egg yolks. The fat is the yolk worked in smoothing everything out, so crisis averted.
All up the cake baked for close to 45 minutes. My oven is old and pretty shit so I knew it would take longer than the recipe suggested, but I kept an eye on it and got it out at the perfect time. The house smelt like heaven on earth, chocolate with a hint of coffee and almonds and I was so excited to have a slice. But alas, you have to wait for it to cool so you can decorate it. The icing is a very simple chocolate butter icing, which is just chocolate and butter and it was velvety smooth and so rich and delicious. It was very hard to stop myself from eating it all before the cake was cold!
A thin layer of icing later and the meticulous placing of flaked almonds around the side of the cake, which takes forever, you have one beautiful chocolate cake. Julia describes in her book this cake is best baked so the centre I slightly underdone to make sure it has a special creamy like quality and damn was she spot on. The cake cut like a dream, the knife just glided through and slice came out perfectly.
When you take the first bite the centre of the cake is wonderfully smooth and creamy and surprisingly it was so incredibly light. The chocolate flavour was perfect, not too rich and not too sweet. And the hint of almond extract just perfumes your palate and ties all the flavours beautifully together. It is decedent, it is warming, it fills your heart and soul with happiness, it is perfect on its own or with a dollop of double cream. And the best part is it can be eaten straight from the fridge or at room temperature. Pair it with a tea or coffee (or a cheeky glass of red) and I promise it will make you feel on top of the world. And honestly, what more do you want in life?
This cake is hands down one of the most glorious cakes I have ever made and eaten. This is one recipe I make time and time again. Thank you Julia!
Jo x
Recipe can be found in Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume 1 by Julia Child.