Flourless Chocolate Cake
A cake made without flour seems like a far stretch, but this Flourless Chocolate Cake will completely change your perspective. Rich, dense, and full of deep chocolate flavors, it is the absolute perfect dessert for chocolate lovers! Serve it with fresh fruit and even a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect dessert idea.
Looking for more chocolate dessert ideas? Check out my Bailey’s Dark Chocolate Custard, Salted Chocolate Bread Pudding, Double Dark Chocolate Toffee Brownies, Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Peanut Butter Skillet Brownies a la Mode.
If I were to describe the texture of a flourless chocolate cake, I would say it was a mix between a traditional chocolate cake and a fudgy brownie. It’s slightly creamy, smooth, decadent, and downright tasty!
This gluten-free flourless cake, featuring both chocolate and cocoa, is rich by itself, but I had to top it with a thick layer of homemade chocolate ganache to take it over the top. This is the only recipe you need when your sweet tooth craves chocolate! And the beauty of a flourless chocolate cake is how easy and straightforward it is to make. This one-layer cake topped with silky chocolate ganache requires no special tools, and decorating is minimal.
Legend says the first flourless cake originated in the early 1900s in Italy because of a baking mistake. This tasty mistake not only hit a home run, but also benefited those wanting to stay clear of flour.
Ingredients you’ll need for my Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe:
- I use semisweet chocolate chips, but you can also use dark chocolate. Instead of chocolate chips, you can substitute pure baking chocolate bars (Baker’s or Ghirardelli)
- You will melt your chocolate along with unsalted butter
- You will need white granulated sugar and vanilla extract to sweeten the cake
- Espresso powder and salt enhance the chocolate flavors. FYI…your cake will not taste like cake coffee:-)
- You will need eggs as your flour replacement. They will provide the structure and moist, fudgy texture of the cake. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
- Both natural cocoa powder and Dutch-processed cocoa powder work great; Dutch-processed cocoa powder takes those chocolate flavors even higher.
- To make your chocolate ganache topping, you also need semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream. To finish things off, dust your cake with powdered sugar and top with fresh raspberries.
How to make a Flourless Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take an 8″ springform (paid link) cake pan; cut a piece of parchment to fit, lay it in the bottom, and lightly grease it.
- Melt your chocolate. Place your chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 ½ minutes.
- Mix ingredients. In a large bowl, add your melted chocolate, sugar, espresso powder, salt, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs and whisk (paid link) until smooth. Add the cocoa powder. Don’t over-mix. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
- Bake. Bake the cake for 20-25 minutes. The cake should register at least 200°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into its center. Remove it from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely.
- Make the ganache. While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Place chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 ½ minutes. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Glaze. Spread the chocolate ganache glaze evenly over the cake. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.
- Serve. Cut the cake into slices and dust with powdered sugar. Top with raspberries, if desired. You can also serve with ice cream.
Tips & Tricks
- Use good chocolate: The best chocolate makes the best flourless chocolate cake! You want those deep chocolate flavors to shine, so opt for Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips and Dutch process cocoa for a deep, chocolate flavor.
- Use a springform (paid link) pan: A regular 8-inch cake pan is fine, too, but a springform (paid link) pan allows you to remove the cake easily. Regardless of what type of pan you use, make sure you grease the pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Don’t overbake. The cake is ready to go once it reaches an internal temperature of 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. You don’t want to dry the cake; the texture should be nice and fudgy.
- Cool before topping with ganache. Allow the case to cool completely before adding your chocolate ganache glaze. And even once you’ve added the glaze, place it in the fridge for a few hours so the ganache can set.
How to store your cake:
It’s not necessary to refrigerate this cake if you are serving it. However, you can store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
This dessert creation is now a family favorite and will become yours, too! In addition, this dessert is excellent for any occasion, including Passover, Thanksgiving, and holiday celebrations.
Print
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Rich, dense, and full of deep chocolatey flavors, this Flourless Chocolate Cake is the absolute perfect dessert for chocolate lovers!
Ingredients
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- powered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take an 8″ springform (paid link) cake pan; cut a piece of parchment to fit, lay it in the bottom of the pan, and lightly grease it.
- Place 1 cup chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 ½ minutes. Stir until combined. Stir in the sugar, espresso powder, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Add the eggs and whisk (paid link) until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and mix to combine. Don’t over-mix. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
- Bake the cake for 25 minutes. The cake should register at least 200°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into its center. Remove it from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Place 1 cup chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 ½ minutes. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Spread the chocolate ganache glaze evenly over the cake. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.
- Cut the cake into slices and sprinkle with powdered sugar and raspberries, if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 519
- Sugar: 47.1g
- Sodium: 186mg
- Fat: 32.9g
- Carbohydrates: 58.1g
- Fiber: 4.8g
- Protein: 3.7g
- Cholesterol: 111mg