Chocolate and Almond Tiger Cake

1. Preheat Oven and Prep Pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.

2. Melt Butter

In a small saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, bring it just to a boil, then keep it warm.

3. Mix Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, and almond flour.

4. Add Egg Whites and Vanilla

Gradually add the egg whites and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients in three separate additions, stirring until smooth after each addition.

5. Incorporate Melted Butter

Fold in the warm melted butter in three stages, fully incorporating it after each addition.

6. Add Chocolate

Stir in the finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate to create chocolate streaks in the batter.

7. Bake the Cake

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 37-40 minutes, or until golden and a tester comes out clean.

8. Cool the Cake

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then release it onto a cooling rack and allow it to reach room temperature.

9. Prepare Ganache

For the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add the finely chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth.

10. Top with Ganache and Almonds

Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds. Let set at room temperature or chill in the fridge for 15 minutes if in a hurry.