If you haven’t had the chance to try the world sensation that is Dubai Chocolate, you’ve at least heard about it. This Middle Eastern-inspired treat is a dreamy milk chocolate bar filled with velvety pistachio cream and crunchy shards of golden knafeh pastry. Intrigued? You can read more about this irresistible creation here. Inspired by this iconic flavour combinations, I’ve created my own version: the Rich and Velvety Dubai Chocolate Cake. And yes, it’s exactly indulgent as it sounds.
This cake delivers everything you’re craving – fudgy chocolate sponge, luscious pistachio cream swirled with crispy knafeh pastry and a rich chocolate ganache that wraps everything together. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just fancy a showstopper dessert, this is the one to try. Let me take you through how to create your own Rich and Velvety Dubai Chocolate Cake at home.
Fudgy chocolate sponge
Let’s start with the sponge, which sets the base for this decadent cake. I adapted my trusted Sticky Toffee Chocolate Cake recipe, but for this version, I’ve taken out the coffee granules, I want the chocolate to shine through purely, deeply and richly.
Melting the chocolate
The chocolate sponge is built in three parts. First, I melt dark chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl, a quick 2 minutes in the microwave does the trick, and stir in cocoa powder mixed with hot water. This step ensures the chocolate flavour is intended and smooth.
Mixing the wet ingredients
Separately, I mix yoghurt and milk to loosen the yoghurt’s texture, then add eggs. This combination brings moisture, richness and just the right amount of tang to the sponge.
Combining the dry ingredients
For the dry mix, I use my stand mixer (you can do it by hand too), and in the bowl I combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. With the mixer on low, I gradually add in the melted chocolate mixture and the yoghurt mixture. Mix for just about 30 seconds, enough to bring everything together, then finish off by folding with a spatula to ensure no pockets of flour remain at the bottom.
Baking the cake
The recipe is perfect for two 8” cake tins, but sine I wanted to make a heart-shaped cake and a small rectangular one as well, I adjusted the quantities to fit two rectangular trays. I line the trays with baking paper, divide the batter evenly and bake at 140°C for around 30 minutes. Check the doneness by inserting a skewer into the centre – it should come out clean.
One baked, I let the cakes rest in their tins for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely. If I’m decorating soon, I wrap the cakes in clingfilm and pop them into the freezer for an hour, it makes them much easier to handle.
Homemade pistachio cream
Thanks to the popularity of Dubai Chocolate, pistachio cream and dried knafeh pastry are now easy to find in shops. But for this cake, I like to make my own pistachio cream from scratch. It takes a bit of time and patience, but the reward is in the flavour-fresh, nutty and just sweet enough.
Even shelled pistachios need a little prep, as they still wear their brown skins. A quick boil (about 3-4 minutes), followed by a rub in a kitchen towel, helps loosen the skins so you can easily peel them off. Yes, it’s a bit fiddly but once you see those vibrant green nuts, you’ll know it’s worth it.
I blend the peeled pistachios with half the milk until it forms a smooth paste. While that’s going, I melt white chocolate and butter together, then blend it all with the pistachio mixture and the remaining milk until it’s completely smooth and creamy. That’s your pistachio cream sorted.
Crunchy knafeh pastry
I use shop-bought dried knafeh pastry, already chopped, which makes life so much easier. Just taste it gently in a pan with a knob of butter until golden and fragrant.
Then remove from the heat and stir in the pistachio cream (reserve a spoonful for decoration later). The residual heat from the pan softens the cream and helps it bind beautifully with the pastry.
Silky chocolate ganache
For the ganache, I go half-and-half with dark and milk chocolate. This gives the ganache a rich chocolate hit without being overly bitter. I heat double cream until it’s just bubbling, pour it over the chopped chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for five minutes. Then stir until smooth and glossy. Leave at room temperature to thicken for a couple of hours ,or chill it a bit if you’re short on time.
Assembling the cake
Now for the fun part – putting it all together!
- Start with one chocolate sponge as the base.
- Spread over the pistachio cream and knafeh mixture, smoothing it out evenly.
- Add a thin layer of chocolate ganache on top.
- Gently place the second chocolate sponge over the top and finish with a generous final layer of ganache.
I go for naked cake look to show off those gorgeous layers, but feel free to to cover the sides if you prefer more polished finish. Either way, the result is utterly stunning and absolutely delicious.
The final bite
And there you have it – the Rich and Velvety Dubai Chocolate Cake, a dessert that captures all the magic of Dubai Chocolate in cake form. With its decadent chocolate sponge, dreamy pistachio cream, crisp knafeh pastry and rich ganache, this cake is a true celebration of texture and flavour.
Once you’ve tried it, I’d love to know what you think, was it everything you were hoping for? And if you’re sharing your version, don’t forget to tag me!
Explore more of my delicious cake recipes here.
Rich and Velvety Dubai Chocolate Cake
Description
This Rich and Velvety Dubai Chocolate Cake is inspired by the beloved Dubai Chocolate bar, known for its silky pistachio cream and crispy knafeh pastry. With layers of fudgy chocolate sponge, crunchy toasted pastry, homemade pistachio cream, and a luscious chocolate ganache, this cake is indulgent, textured, and bursting with flavour in every bite. Perfect for special occasions or whenever you fancy something extraordinary.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Sponge
For the Pistachio Cream
For the Knafeh Pastry
For the Ganache
Instructions
-
Make the Chocolate Sponge
- Preheat oven to 140°C.
- Line two 8'' baking tins with baking paper.
- Melt dark chocolate and butter in the microwave (2 minutes).
- Mix cocoa powder with hot water then stir into the melted mixture.
- In a jug, combine yoghurt, milk and eggs.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
- With the mixer on low, add the chocolate mixture and the yoghurt mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter into the tins and bake for 30 minutes.
- Check doneness with a skewer. Cool completely or chill for easier handling.
-
Make the Pistachio Cream
- Blanch pistachio in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
- Drain and rub off skins.
- Blend pistachios with half the milk until smooth.
- Melt white chocolate and butter, then add to the blender with remaining milk.
- Blend again until creamy.
-
Prepare the Knafeh Pastry
- In a pan, melt butter and toast the dried knafeh until golden.
- Remove from heat and stir in the pistachio cream (reserve a spoonful for decoration).
- Set aside.
-
Make the Ganache
- Heat double cream until just bubbling.
- Pour over chopped chocolates and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Stir until smooth.
- Let it thicken at room temperature (1-2 hours) or chill if needed.
-
Assemble the Cake
- Place the first sponge layer on a serving board.
- Spread over the pistachio and knafeh mixture.
- Add a thin layer of ganache.
- Top with the second sponge and cover with a thick layer of ganache.
- Decorate with reserved pistachio cream or however you like.
- Apply a naked cake style to show off the layers or cover the sides completely.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 861.67kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 58.66g91%
- Saturated Fat 29.59g148%
- Trans Fat 0.22g
- Cholesterol 138.98mg47%
- Sodium 154.22mg7%
- Potassium 679.52mg20%
- Total Carbohydrate 75.33g26%
- Dietary Fiber 7.65g31%
- Sugars 46.23g
- Protein 14.6g30%
- Vitamin A 278.86 mcg
- Vitamin C 1.32 mg
- Calcium 200.62 mg
- Iron 6.76 mg
- Vitamin D 0.94 mcg
- Vitamin E 1.84 mg
- Vitamin K 7.33 mcg
- Thiamin 0.4 mg
- Riboflavin 0.37 mg
- Niacin 2.23 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.44 mg
- Folate 32.91 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.54 mcg
- Phosphorus 387.56 mg
- Magnesium 130.13 mg
- Zinc 2.48 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Best served at room temperature.
