Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Chocolaty without being positively overwhelming.
Texture: A cross between a brownie, cake, mousse, and a truffle!
Ease: Deceptively easy.
Why You’ll Love This Cake: This is my go-to elevated easy dessert recipe for entertaining.
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My husband, Joe, calls this a “Hall of Fame” recipe. It’s one of his all-time favorites.
Think of it like a chocolate cake, a brownie, and chocolate mousse had a delicious baby.
Made without flour, it relies on eggs, butter, and chocolate for structure. So it’s the perfect bake for your gluten-free friends and family!
After being inspired on vacation at a restaurant in La Jolla, I set out to create my own version. You’ll also see this recipe called a flourless chocolate torte.
I wanted to avoid having to separate eggs and whip the whites. I also wanted to avoid a cake SO rich and truffle-like that you can only have one or two bites.
I’m happy to say that after much testing, I think I nailed the recipe.
Serve it with fresh fruit and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful Valentine’s Day dessert. Make it for a special date night at home. This is also my go-to dessert for dinner parties and small groups!
Sprinkle of Science
Ingredients Notes
Baking is chemistry, and every ingredient was selected with care. Here are the ones to pay attention to:
- Chocolate – I used Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips. Opt for the best quality you can access.
- Sugar – It doesn’t just sweeten, it also creates a moist texture, so reducing will create a drier cake. Read more about the role of sugar in baking here.
- Espresso powder – Optional. It’s super subtle and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Eggs – Three whole eggs plus an additional egg yolk, for a fantastically fudgy texture. Eggs help provide the structure to this cake because there’s no flour. Be sure your eggs are at room temperature.
- Cocoa powder – I used Dutch-processed cocoa powder to achieve a smooth chocolate flavor and deep color. You can use natural cocoa powder in this recipe instead.
- Heavy whipping cream – Chilled. More on that below.
- Powdered sugar and berries – Optional, but it looks so pretty to decorate the baked and cooled cake with either, or both!
How To Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Melt the chocolate and butter. In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and butter in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until just barely melted. You can also do this step in a double boiler on the stove.
- Add the sugar, espresso powder (if using), salt and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Let cool to room temperature so you don’t scramble the eggs.
- Add the eggs. Add in the eggs and yolk all at once, vigorously whisking until smooth.
- Mix in the cocoa powder. Whisk until just combined.
- Whip the heavy cream. Beat the cream to medium peaks. Be careful not to overbeat your cream here. You don’t want stiff peaks for this recipe.
Tip: Although not pictured below, I love using my immersion blender with the whisk attachment to quickly whip small amounts of cream. - Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Be careful to avoid compressing all of that air you just whipped into the cream!
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake. Bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, or until the cake has puffed up, the edges are set but the center is still slightly wobbly, and the center is at least 200°F using an instant-read thermometer.
- Allow to cool completely. Place the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight for the most fudgy texture.
- Serve. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices, running the knife under hot water and wiping off the blade between slices. Top with sifted powdered sugar, whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream and a few fresh raspberries or strawberries. Best served chilled.
Baking Success Tips
- Do not overbake. This will cause a dry or crumbly result.
- Parchment circles with tabs make easy work of removing the cake from the pan without drama.
- Expect sinking. Flourless cakes naturally deflate as they cool. More room for whipped cream, ice cream, or ganache 😉
- Serve chilled. This will make it easier to slice and emphasize a fudgy texture.
Serving Ideas & Tips
- Fresh mint and raspberries or sliced strawberries
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- A dollop of freshly whipped cream
- A dusting of powdered sugar
- A dusting of cocoa powder
- Raspberry sauce
- Ganache (1:1 ratio — this is Joe’s favorite!)
To slice, use a sharp knife to cut into slices, running the knife under hot water and wiping off the blade between slices. Feel free to top with garnishes after slicing, too.
Storage & Make Ahead
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze, wrap the entire cake or slices of cake well in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or a ziptop bag for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. It tastes great frozen, too!
FAQs
Is this recipe gluten free?
Yes! If you’re worried about serving someone who has celiac disease, you’ll want to check your ingredients to ensure the packaging states that it is gluten-free and that your tools and equipment haven’t recently touched flour to be safe.
Note: Baker’s Joy spray is not gluten-free.
Why does flourless chocolate cake fall after baking?
It’s perfectly normal for this cake to fall slightly as it cools. Remember, flour typically acts as the backbone structure support of cake recipes. Without it, some sinking is unavoidable. I think it adds to the rustic charm of this type of cake!
If your cake falls excessively, it’s likely from overmixing. Be sure to gently mix in the ingredients, particularly in the final few steps, and do not over-mix.
What kind of baking pan is best?
Use a light-colored 8-inch round cake pan for this recipe. Note that this recipe makes enough batter to fill the pan quite full, so if you hvae it, use a 3-inch deep pan to ensure no overflow. My favorite brand of cake pan is Fat Daddio’s because they bake evenly and wash up easily. Don’t use a dark-colored or coated nonstick cake pan, or you may end up with dry or overbaked cake edges. I also don’t recommend using a larger pan, as your cake will be very thin.
How do I know when flourless chocolate cake is done?
The cake should be puffed up, the edges set but the center is still slightly wobbly, and the center is at least 200°F using an instant-read thermometer.
Do I really have to chill this cake for 6 hours?
Yes, but I promise it’ll be worth it in the end! This cake is delicate when warm. Leaving it plenty of time to cool completely in the tin, then a few hours in the fridge (preferably overnight) will allow the cake to set up. It’ll become more rich and fudgy as it chills!
Bonus: you can make this the day before a dinner party or event, and it will be ready to devour without having to make it the day-of!
Flourless Chocolate Cake
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ¼ cups (213 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup (43 grams) Dutch-process cocoa
- ½ cup (120 grams) heavy cream, chilled
For the topping:
- Powdered sugar
- Freshly whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or 1:1 ganache (chocolate ganache recipe here)
- Fresh strawberries or raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a light colored 8-inch round 3-inch deep cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.* Place a parchment round on the bottom of the pan and spray again.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and butter in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until just barely melted. Stir until smooth. Whisk in the sugar, espresso powder, salt, and vanilla. Let cool.
- Add in the eggs and yolk all at once, vigorously whisking until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder until just combined. Batter will be thick.
- In a small but deep bowl or measuring cup, use an electric mixer or immersion blender fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the heavy cream to medium peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the batter until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake has puffed up, the edges are set but the center is still slightly wobbly, and the center is at least 200°F using an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools. Loosen the edges of the still-warm cake from the pan with a thin flexible knife or offset spatula so it unmolds easier when ready to serve. Let cool completely in the pan. Once cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight. At this point, the cake can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 3 days as well as any leftovers.
- This cake is best served chilled. When ready to serve, remove the cake to a serving plate. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices, running the knife under hot water and wiping off the blade between slices. Place a spoonful of powdered sugar in a small fine mesh strainer and dust over each slice. Top with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream and a few berries. Serve.
Recipe Notes
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes:
This post was originally published in 2009 and updated in 2023 with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.
Hi Tessa
I have a question last time I made this in a cheesecake a with removable bottom which was 9in and came out fine since I removed the bottom. This time I use the Daddio 8 x3 pan , but when I removed it from the pan the center of the cake stuck to the parchment paper.
My question is do you leave the cake in the cake pan in the fridge for 6 hours once it is cooled or do you remove it from pan when cooled and then put in fridge.
Hi Mary! During testing, we refrigerated the cake still in its pan, as it’s still a little fragile before setting up entirely in the fridge – but feel free to experiment with removing it from the pan before refrigeration. Also, if the springform pan works better for you, it’s totally fine to use that instead — it’s all about whatever works best for you! 🙂 Happy baking!
Thank you for this recipe I made it for a birthday party dinner with 14 guests and everyone had a piece with extra strawberries and ice cream it was perfect even though my mixture looked a bit thicker than yours maybe because of the chocolate I used, which was a dark Ghana which is the one we like.
I’ll make it again for sure
Thanks, Heather from Australia
It was pure delicious chocolate decadence. One of the easiest and best chocolate desserts I have made.
Hi, I have an 8-inch round by its only 2 inches deep. Will that be an issue? Also, I don’t have espresso powder but will use ground espresso. Is that okay?
Hi Gina! If your espresso powder is not super fine, I recommend using a mortar and pestle to crush the grounds into a very fine powder. As for your baking pan, we found that our flourless chocolate cake came quite high to the top of our 3-inch deep pan, so if you use a 2-inch deep pan, the cake may overflow. Feel free to use a 9-inch pan instead (just note that your cake will be thinner and need less time in the oven), or reserve a little of the cake batter and bake in a different pan/muffin pans (again, the bake time will be shorter) or if you decided to go ahead and bake the whole thing in your 2-inch deep pan, just be sure to place the cake pan on top of a rimmed baking sheet, to catch any overflow if the cake does spill over. Happy baking!
Just made this last night for my bf’s bday today and it is so beautiful I wish I could upload a picture. I found this fun to make because it’s simple in that it’s a few ingredients and not too many steps but requires patience and attention to detail 🙂
At what point during these recipe steps should I pour ganache onto the flourless chocolate cake? Before the 6 hours of refrigeration or after?
Hi Jodi! If you want to add ganache to the top of this cake, wait until it’s completely cooled before topping. You can do it before or after the 6-hour chill, but if you add it before the 6-hour chill, it may lose its shine. If you add it after the 6-hour chill, I recommend re-chilling for 15 minutes or so, just to firm the ganache up, before slicing as directed in the recipe. I hope that helps! 🙂
My boyfriend requested flourless chocolate cake for his birthday. This was my first attempt at making one, and it was absolutely delicious! I topped mine with chocolate ganache and some fresh raspberries.
This Flourless Chocolate Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream! . And it’s surprisingly easy to make! A must-try for anyone who craves chocolate goodness.
I’ve made this cake twice already! My only big change was to use cool whip in place of whipping the cream, but that was just sheer laziness. Either way, it turned out delicious! Both times I had enough batter left over to fill a small ramekin, so I was able to make a small cake to eat hot and gooey to hold me over until the real cake was ready the next day. Both times I added a thin layer of sliced almonds at the bottom (my friend’s idea) and it really adds a nice texture, and helped to remove from the tin. I’m in my second trimester of my first pregnancy, so this delicious easy cake will be showing up at least two more times before the baby does. Thank you so much for helping with the cravings!
When you did the cool whip, did you just measure the 120 grams? i wasn’t sure how much after it was whipped. I just pulled mine out of the oven (used regular whipping cream, but the cool whip would make it so much easier!) we will see tonight how it turned out!
I’m a fairly decent cook but a mediocre baker. Made this for my wife’s birthday and it was the first time that I’ve ever made something that I felt could easily be served in a nice bakery. I had to cut the cooling time in the fridge to 4 hours and I didn’t have any parchment paper but it was fine. She loved it. Thank you so much!
Hooray! That makes us so happy to hear, Sanford!
So good, one of the best cakes I’ve made! Smooth and delicious. Served with strawberries and whipped cream.
I used a dark 9” round non-stick springform pan and it turned out great! To prevent the outside from cooking too fast compared to the middle I wrapped a damp rolled tea towel in aluminum foil and wrapped it around the outside.
Made a practice cake Saturday for my sister’s birthday this week. It was great! Am making it Tuesday and will have fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream on Thursday for her, with a few surprises.