Dark Chocolate Date Cake with Raspberry-Maple Topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a 9 inch springform pan, (if you don't have a springform line a pan with aluminum foil to make removing cake easy.) Place your chopped dates, chocolate, maple syrup, and butter in a heat proof bowl or a double boiler, and place over lightly simmering water. Mix occasionally until chocolate and butter have melted and everything is mixed. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon, and almond extract in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium sized bowl and mix until creamy and pale, 2-3 minutes.
3. When the chocolate mixture is fairly cool stir in the egg yolk mixture until fully combined. Mix in the ground almonds.
4. In a separate bowl using a whisk or electric mixture whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until fully combined, but do not overmix. Be gentle with the egg whites.
5. Pour batter into pan and bake 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. While the cake bakes, combine the raspberries and maple syrup in a small sauce pan, cook over low heat for 8-12 minutes, until a sauce forms. Set aside to cool a bit.
7. Allow cake to cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm with raspberry sauce poured over each slice.