Flavors · Capri

Torta caprese

Low dark chocolate and almond cake, made without wheat flour. It has a thin crust on the outside and a moist interior. It’s named after Capri, where several stories place its origin.

Traditional sweet from Capri, Campânia

Also known as: caprese al cioccolato, torta di mandorle e cioccolato

Updated November 2026

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Torta caprese — Capri, Italy — Torta caprese

Torta caprese — Capri, Italy

The caprese cake is a dark chocolate cake made with ground almonds, butter, sugar and eggs. The traditional recipe contains no wheat flour: the almonds provide the structure. The result is a low cake with a thin, slightly crisp crust and a dense, moist crumb, usually dusted with powdered sugar on top.

The origin is told in several ways. The most common version says that around 1920 a pastry chef in Capri forgot the flour in an almond cake ordered by foreign customers, and the result was well received. Another story traces the recipe to the court of Naples in the 18th century: cooks allegedly invented the cake while trying to reproduce, without the recipe, a chocolate dessert described by Queen Maria Carolina. Neither version is supported by documentary evidence.

Over time variations appeared, such as lemon caprese, made with white chocolate and lemon zest. The classic chocolate-and-almond version remains the most common in pastry shops on the island and in the Naples region. Because it is made without wheat flour, it is popular with people avoiding gluten, but confirmation depends on how each bakery prepares it.

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Where it comes from

Capri , Campânia
The cake is named after the island, and origin stories place it in Capri.

Ingredients

Dark chocolate, ground almonds, butter, sugar and eggs; powdered sugar on top. Some recipes add a bit of cocoa or baking powder.

How it is eaten

In slices at room temperature, as a dessert or with coffee. It may be served with a little cream or ice cream.

When it is eaten

All year round.

Your questions

Questions about Torta caprese

Does the caprese cake contain flour?

The traditional recipe does not use wheat flour. Ground almonds replace the flour and provide the cake’s structure.

Why is it called caprese?

Caprese means ‘from Capri’. The origin stories place the cake on the island, although none of them are proven.

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