Description
This decadent Dubai Chocolate Cake blends a super-moist chocolate sponge with a crunchy pistachio center and a glossy chocolate topping. Inspired by the over-the-top Dubai chocolate bars, it’s rich, textural, and made for celebrations (or, you know, a very dramatic Tuesday).
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup hot coffee
Pistachio filling
- 2 cups kataifi (shredded phyllo), chopped finely
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup pistachio cream (or finely ground pistachios mixed into a paste)
Chocolate glaze
- 4 oz milk or semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream (or a can of table cream for an ultra-rich finish)
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8– or 9–inch square or round pan, then set it aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the egg, vanilla, milk, and oil, and mix until smooth. Stir in the hot coffee last — it intensifies the chocolate without adding a coffee taste. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Pro tip: Use hot coffee — it deepens chocolate flavor.
Place a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped kataifi and butter, stirring often until everything turns golden and crisp. Transfer the toasted kataifi to a bowl to cool, then fold in the pistachio cream until you have a spreadable, slightly chunky filling.
Bold tip: Toast the kataifi until golden — that toasty butter flavor makes the filling irresistible.
Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the cream (or table cream) until warm, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit 3–5 minutes, then whisk until completely smooth and shiny. If the chocolate isn’t fully melted, warm in short bursts and stir between zaps.
Note: Let the mixture rest before whisking so you get a silky ganache, not a lumpy one.
After the cake has cooled at least 10–15 minutes, spread the pistachio-kataifi mixture across the top in an even layer using an offset spatula. Gently pour the chocolate glaze over the pistachio layer so it covers and drips a little down the sides. Garnish with extra toasted kataifi and crushed pistachios if you like.
Serve warm right away, or chill to set and slice later.
Notes
- Chocolate choices: I prefer baking chocolate bars (Ghirardelli works great) or good-quality European milk chocolate — they melt smoothly. FYI, chocolate chips contain stabilizers that can make them less glossy when melted.
- Table cream vs. heavy cream: Table cream yields a richer, silkier ganache and is a staple in many Middle Eastern desserts. You can find it at international markets or some big supermarkets. Heavy cream works fine too.
- Storage: Store covered in the fridge for a few days. Bring to room temp before serving so the ganache softens. You can freeze slices tightly wrapped for up to a month.
- Substitutions: No kataifi? Use finely crushed phyllo baked until crisp, or toasted shredded coconut for a different crunch. Want less sweetness? Swap to semi-sweet or dark chocolate for the glaze.
Bold storage tip: Assemble close to serving time for the best contrast between warm ganache and crisp pistachio filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1slice
- Calories: 481kcal
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 314mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 34mg