Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Berries

This almost flourless cake boasts almost half the calories and less than two-thirds of the fat as the regular version, offering pure chocolate bliss without the regret.

Here's the skinny:

2 tablespoons butter > nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup whipping cream > 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cooking oil > no cooking oil
1 8-ounce container frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed > 1/2 of an 8-ounce container frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries > 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries

Nutritional Highlights

Calories

290 (before)

150 (after)

Saturated Fat

10 g (before)

3 g (after)

Cholesterol

55 mg (before)

35 mg (after)

Total Fat

18 g (before)

5 g (after)

Prep Time:25 min

Start to Finish:1 hr 30 min

makes:12 Servings

Here's the skinny:

Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder or 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
5 egg whites
Unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
1/2 of an 8-ounce container frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, blackberries, and/or blueberries

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, the water, and espresso powder. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and mixture almost boils. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Remove from heat. Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually stir the chocolate mixture into egg yolks; stir in vanilla (mixture may appear slightly grainy). Set aside.
2 In a medium bowl, stir together the ½ cup cocoa powder, the flour, and baking powder. Stir in chocolate-egg yolk mixture until smooth. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir a small amount of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg whites. Spread in the prepared pan.
3 Bake about 30 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen and remove side of pan. Cool completely. (Cake may fall slightly but evenly during cooling.)
4 To serve, cut cake into wedges. If desired, sprinkle dessert plates with additional cocoa powder. Transfer cake wedges to dessert plates. Top with whipped topping and berries.
4 To serve, cut cake into wedges. If desired, sprinkle dessert plates with additional cocoa powder. Transfer cake wedges to dessert plates. Top with whipped topping and berries.

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, the water, and espresso powder. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and mixture almost boils. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Remove from heat. Place egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually stir the chocolate mixture into egg yolks; stir in vanilla (mixture may appear slightly grainy). Set aside.

2 In a medium bowl, stir together the ½ cup cocoa powder, the flour, and baking powder. Stir in chocolate-egg yolk mixture until smooth. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir a small amount of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg whites. Spread in the prepared pan.

3 Bake about 30 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen and remove side of pan. Cool completely. (Cake may fall slightly but evenly during cooling.)

4 To serve, cut cake into wedges. If desired, sprinkle dessert plates with additional cocoa powder. Transfer cake wedges to dessert plates. Top with whipped topping and berries.

Nutritional Information

1/12 slice, 2 tbsp whipped topping, 2 tbsp berries: Calories 150 (Calories from Fat 45); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 35mg; Total Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 17g); Protein 4g % Daily Value Vitamin A 1%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 2%; Iron 8% Exchanges 1 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices 1 1/2