Divine flourless pecan chocolate cake

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups pecans
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water (I used Kahlua)
  

PREPARATION:

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 8 or 9" round pan or springform pan.

1) Process pecans in food processor - pulse until they are meal - but they won't get quite as small as corn meal.

2) Add the rest of the dry ingredients and pulse again.

3) Add the wet ingredients and process until well-blended.

4) Pour into pan and bake. The exact time will vary with the pan. Start checking at about 25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5) Cut when cool. Enjoy with a strong cup of espresso.

more lemon please!

This cake is fabulous and was well received at a luncheon I hosted but I would add some extra lemon juice and/or lemon zest to add a bit more zing.

Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup tube pan. Dust pan with cake flour; tap out excess flour.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel. Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients. Mix in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn out cake.

Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.)

Serves 12.