Man placing a dollop of whipped cream onto one of four small cakes

Barrel-Aged Narwhal Flourless Cakes

Published on February 2nd 2021 by SNBC

Yield
Serves 4

Prep Time
45 minutes

Difficulty
Medium

A few splashes of Barrel-Aged Narwhal add even more depth to a classic duo, chocolate and peanut butter.

And since we’re not using flour or baking soda, our head chef in Chico, Dan Grice, explains how we’ll leaven these decadent cakes.

“We’re using the protein structure of the egg and [incorporating] air to make this a fluffy and custard-like cake.”

Translation: plenty of whisking. But a noodly arm is worth the rich flavor. And you can make adjustments so it’s perfect for you.

“This cake is very forgiving,” Dan says. “If you undercook it, it’s going to be kind of like a molten-chocolate cake in the middle. If you overcook it, it could get caramelized on the top. I would say undercook more than overcook.”

The finishing touch: homemade whipped cream. Of course we put beer in that, too.

Can and poured glass of Barred-Aged Narwhal beer on a table

Flourless Narwhal Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Barrel-Aged Narwhal
6 scaled ounces dark chocolate (70% or higher)
3 scaled ounces unsalted butter
3 scaled ounces peanut butter
3 whole eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt

Step 1

Place chocolate, peanut butter, and butter in a metal or glass bowl and place over a hot-water bath. (The water should be at a slight simmer.) Allow to melt fully, whisking occasionally. Once the ingredients are fully melted and incorporated, add the sea salt, vanilla extract, and Barrel-Aged Narwhal. Allow to cool a bit so the chocolate does not cook the eggs when added.

Step 2

Separate the eggs into yolks and whites. Place the yolks in a mixing bowl with sugar and whisk quickly for 5 minutes, or until light and pale yellow. (It's a long time to whisk, but it's key to incorporating air.) If you have a KitchenAid-style stand mixer, you can mix on high.

Step 3

Slowly add the chocolate mixture to the egg-yolk mixture, a little at a time while stirring. Set aside the mixture.

Step 4

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the sugar and whisk quickly until soft peaks form.

Step 5

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk/chocolate mixture, being careful not to disturb the air in the egg whites. Mix until fully combined.

Step 6

Spray ramekins with pan spray, or grease with butter, and evenly distribute the cake mixture into each ramekin.

Step 7

Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake at 325° F for 12–15 minutes. The cakes may have a slightly molten center. Bake longer if desired.

Step 8

Serve warm with homemade whipped cream, directions below!

Narwhal Whipped Cream

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Barrel-Aged Narwhal
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon extract)
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Step 1

Before starting—perhaps while making the cakes—keep a mixing bowl in the freezer to chill. In a separate large bowl, place a few handfuls of ice, then set the freezer-chilled mixing bowl in the ice.