Afrika Cake
- Gluten Free
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 772
- Carbohydrates g 96.6
- of which sugars g 90.2
- Protein g 14.7
- Fats g 36.3
- of which saturated fat g 19.99
- Fiber g 6.6
- Cholesterol mg 266
- Sodium mg 248
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 15 min
- Serving: 6
- Cost: Average
- Note plus the setting time (at least 2 hours)
PRESENTATION
Afrika cake, oh wow, is one of those spectacular Italian desserts that instantly grabs your attention with its unique take on African cake recipes. Seriously good. Dreamed up by pastry master Ernst Knam, this dessert gets its special kick from high-quality chocolate made from African cocoa beans. Really, that chocolate is the real star—bringing a deep, rich, almost velvety taste you won’t find in other traditional African cakes. What's super cool is how simple and pure it is—there’s a mousse on top with just two ingredients. No extra sugar at all.
The base, called a marquise, has a soft, tender crumb like sponge cake but without any gluten. Really great for folks who need to skip wheat. And look, in places like Milan, people love serving this cake as a showstopper at parties. Pretty much. You’ll sometimes see creative twists, like a sprinkle of chili or wasabi for an unexpected kick.
Fresh fruit, like raspberries, add a tangy bite. Plus, a drizzle of mango sauce turns each bite sweet and a little tropical. And here's the thing, this contrast is what makes African dessert recipes like Afrika cake stand out from other South African desserts and African sweet treats. Even though it’s inspired by chocolate from Africa, Afrika cake has really really made its mark in Italian pastry shops as something unique and fancy, but still super fun and approachable.
It's not rare to spot people experimenting with add-ons or sides, which is great—and there’s a relaxed vibe around the whole thing. Try it out with your favorite fruit or even a bit of spice to make it your own. That mix of tradition, innovation, and a real focus on great ingredients has helped Afrika cake earn its spot as a modern classic for anyone curious about African baking techniques and the cool things you can do with a simple cake base and top-notch chocolate. Enjoy exploring this delicious fusion of flavors and make it a special part of your culinary adventures. For sure.
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the marquise (2 sheets 12x15 in)
- Egg yolks ½ cup (100 g)
- Egg whites 1 cup (225 g)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder 0.9 cup (90 g)
- Powdered sugar 2 ½ cups (300 g)
- Potato starch 0.3 cup (30 g)
- Sugar to taste
- for the chocolate mousse
- Dark chocolatel 60% 7.1 oz (200 g) - from African beans
- Fresh liquid cream 1 ¾ cup (400 g)
- for the mango sauce
- Passion fruit 4
- Mango 1
- Lime peel 1
- Lime juice ½
- for decoration
- Mint to taste
- Chopped chocolate to taste
How to prepare Afrika Cake
To prepare the Afrika cake, first start by preparing the marquise. Once you have separated the eggs, place the yolks in a bowl, add 100 g of powdered sugar 1 and whisk them using a hand mixer (2-3) or an electric beater.
Meanwhile, start beating the egg whites in a stand mixer 4 and as soon as they are white and frothy, add the remaining 200 g of powdered sugar, in two parts 5. Finish beating the egg whites 6
and as soon as the yolks are well whipped, add them to the egg whites 7. Also add the sifted cocoa powder 8 and the sifted potato starch 9.
Mix everything using a spatula and making rotational movements from the bottom up 10, until you have obtained a homogeneous mixture without lumps 11. At this point, line two large 12x15 in baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour half of the mixture into each 12
and level the surface with a spatula 13. The dough should be about 0.2 inches thick. Bake one sheet at a time in a preheated static oven at 390°F for about 8-9 minutes on the middle rack. Once baked, remove the marquise from the oven 14 and dust it with a little granulated sugar 15, which will help the marquise absorb moisture and remain soft. To make the Afrika cake, only one marquise will be needed, but we recommend not halving the dose because otherwise, the yolks and whites will not whip perfectly. With the extra one, you can make a delicious roll; just fill it with whipped cream and raspberries.
Let the marquise cool slightly, then transfer it to a flat surface 16 and flip it over. Gently remove the parchment paper 17 and use a 9-inch round cutter, about 2 inches high, to cut out a disc 18. Again, you can use the scraps to make a tiramisu, or they will be great in milk!
Once you've cut out the marquise disc, transfer it to a serving plate, leaving it inside the ring 19 and proceed to prepare the chocolate mousse. Place the chocolate in a bowl 20 and melt it gently in a double boiler, being careful not to exceed 131°F. Meanwhile, pour the cream into a bowl and start whipping it with a whisk 21.
It won't be necessary to whip it stiff, just semi-whip it 22, because it will continue to whip later. At this point, make sure the chocolate is between 122°F and 113°F. Exceeding this range might melt the cream, while going below will result in a broken mousse. Once the chocolate's temperature is measured, pour about half of the cream into it 24
and temper by mixing with a whisk 25. Then pour the mixture into the remaining cream 26 and, again with the whisk, mix well 27.
Then pour the mixture into the ring 28 and level the surface using a spatula 29. At this point 30, place the Afrika cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
You can accompany the cake with a mango and passion fruit sauce. Halve the passion fruits, then using a spoon, transfer the pulp to a sieve 31 and press on the seeds with the spoon to extract only the juice 32. Clean the mango, removing the skin and central stone. Cut about half into cubes and set aside; then coarsely chop the remaining part 33.
Transfer it together with the passion fruit juice, add the lime zest and the juice of half 34. Blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth 35. Add the mango cubes set aside 36, and the accompanying sauce will be ready.
At this point, take the Afrika cake out of the fridge 37 and remove the ring 38. If it doesn't come out easily, you can warm the ring with a hairdryer. Decorate the edges of the cake with dark chocolate chips 39
and dust the surface with unsweetened cocoa powder (40-41). The Afrika cake is ready to serve, along with the mango sauce 42.