This Dubai chocolate cake is inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate bar. A rich, moist chocolate is filled with crunchy kataifi pistachio filling and a decadent chocolate frosting. This showstopping Middle Eastern inspired dessert is perfect for special occasions, celebrations or for chocolate lovers!
About This Dubai Chocolate Cake
Love the Dubai chocolate combination but want to try it as a cake? This gloriously rich and moist chocolate cake is filled with crunchy pistachio kataifi filling and smothered in a rich chocolate frosting. This cake is pure chocolatey decadence and captures the essence of Dubai chocolate in cake form!
Dubai chocolate has taken the world by storm for the past few years and in that time we've gradually learned that the original creator was actually two people: Sarah Hamouda, a British-Egyptian engineer living in Dubai and Nouel Catis Omamalin, a Filipino pastry chef and culinary consultant. His favourite dessert was knafeh and he suggested basing a dessert on it. Over a year they refined their recipe - now it is so popular as a concept that in 2025 there was a worldwide shortage of pistachios!
Cake Flour - This is a low protein flour found at the supermarket that keeps the cakes tender (low protein=low gluten=softer cake). You can also make cake flour at home. For 1 cup of cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons of plain all purpose flour and replace with cornflour/fine cornstarch. Whisk it in well.
Pistachio cream - This is a sweet pistachio cream like a pistachio version of Nutella and is different from pistachio pesto which is savoury. This is the pistachio cream I use.
Tahini paste - Found at supermarkets, this lends a light sesame flavour to the filling. I use hulled tahini paste.
Kataifi Pastry - This is a thin vermicelli style pastry popular in Middle Eastern and Greek desserts. It can be found in Greek or Middle Eastern delis and fruit shops in the refrigerated section.
Tips For Making Dubai Chocolate Cake
1 - The batter for this vegan chocolate cake mixture is on the runny side so use a 20cm/8inch non springform round tin as springform tins can sometimes leak a bit. However we will also use a 20cm/8inch springform collar to assemble the cake.
2 - I use the cake steaming method that I first introduced in the blueberry cake to keep the cake super moist! It's so easy and keeps all of the moisture in the cake. All you have to do is as soon as the cake comes out of the oven, cover it with a large plate trapping all the steam in the cake instead of letting it escape. Leave to cool overnight.
3 - Make sure to toast the kataifi well, until golden and crispy. I use the largest high sided pan I have because little bits of katiafi fly everywhere with shallow frypans. If you have a small or shallow frypan I'd recommend dividing it in half and toasting the kataifi in two lots to ensure that it is completely toasted.
4 - To peel pistachios so that they have a nice green outer, blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes. Then submerge in a bowl of ice water. Then drain and place in a teatowel or paper towels and rub away the skin.
5 - Don't have a cake slicer? Use a large serrated knife or dental floss can also work on a soft cake like this!
6 - Using a cake turntable makes frosting cakes much easier! I use a cake turntable like this.
75g/2.5oz dark chocolate (dairy free) finely chopped
For Filling
225g/7.9ozs kataifi pastry, cut up into small sections, around half an inch
90g/3ozs butter
540g/19ozs pistachio cream
30g/1oz tahini paste
Pinch salt
For Frosting
360g/12.7ozs icing sugar mixture
60g/2ozs cocoa powder
113g/1stick butter, melted
85ml/3flozs milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
60g/2ozs pistachios, peeled
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 MIX - Line a 20cm/8inch round but not springform baking tin with parchment and preheat the oven to 180C/350F conventional or 160C/320F fan forced. Combine flour, brown sugar, cocoa, bicarb and salt in a large bowl and whisk well together and press out any lumps. In a jug whisk the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla and then add to dry ingredients in 3-4 lots. Stir in chocolate and and then pour into the prepared tin.
Step 2 BAKE - Bake for 70-75 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Place a metal plate on top of it immediately after it comes out of the oven (this is to steam the cake and make it super moist). Cool completely. I make the cake part the day before.
Step 3 FILLING - In a very large frying pan with high sides melt the butter on medium heat and add the kataifi pastry breaking it up as you add it in. Toast the kataifi pastry well all over. This will take around 10 minutes. Taking your time is very important to ensure that you get a crunch that lasts. In a large bowl mix the pistachio cream, tahini and salt and then add in the kataifi.
Step 4 FILL - Slice cake in half horizontally with a cake slicer or a large knife (or even dental floss can work!). Use a dab of icing to adhere the cake to a cake board and place on half of the cake down. Place a greased springform cake tin collar around the cake and add the pistachio kataifi filling. Place other cake half on top. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes.
Step 5 FROSTING - While it is freezing make the frosting. For the frosting, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder (Thermomix: 30 seconds, speed #8.5). Place in a mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the butter, milk and vanilla bean paste. Whisk on low speed until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Once the icing sugar and cocoa is mixed in, increase speed to high and whisk for 2 minutes until glossy and aerated.
Step 6 DECORATE - Remove the cake collar and spread icing on the sides and on top of the cake. Sprinkle pistachios around the edge of the cake.'
Personal Note
We love pistachios but even before the shortage they were expensive and they are even moreso now and when you combine that with the rising chocolate prices, a chocolate bar becomes an expensive treat. Making a cake could be dare I say a better priced idea! ;)
We were staying at a lovely hotel one weekend and after dinner I went to get something from the lobby area near where the breakfast is served. I saw that they had laid out the provisions for the following day's breakfast.
"There is a big container of pistachios!" I told Mr NQN excitedly, "You have to wake up early to have some!"
"Why would I get up early to eat pistachios?" He asked, confused.
"Because they're expensive. And there's a pistachio shortage!" I answered.
So tell me Dear Reader, would you get up early to eat pistachios? And do you like the Dubai chocolate combo?
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