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
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.
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.
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 have 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.
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.
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!
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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.
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.
nutrition content and how many does it serve?
Hi Elina! This cake yields about 6-8 servings, depending on how big you slice it. We don’t have nutritional information for our recipes as we believe that dessert should be an indulgence – however, you should be able to find a nutritional calculator online that can assist you with this, if you wish. Happy baking! 🙂
By far, the BEST flourless chocolate cake I’ve come across. I’m a pastry chef and was looking for a better cake recipe and this is it! It’s perfectly chocolaty, fudgy, light, and it will pair well with anything from berries to coffee or caramel!
LOVE this recipe!
Need to almost double the bake time. It took 50 minutes to get to 200 and not be all gooey.
I’ve made it twice and it’s absolutely amazing! The second time I made it, I made the whipped cream first, and it seemed to be more efficient than waiting to make it after the main batter. I also made it in a springform pan instead of a regular cake pan and that makes removing it much easier. Regardless, this is the best chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made.
So glad to hear this, Mekela. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
This is a delicious cake and the instructions are practically foolproof. Served it with whipped cream and raspberries. Everyone loved it. My recommendation would be to line cut a larger parchment circle and line press it in the pan so that the sides of the pan are also lined, because it was a little hard to get it out of the pan.
Hi! How would you recommend getting the cake out of the pan after it has cooled? I normally flip the pan upside down to get cakes out, but that seems ill-advised for a flourless cake like this one. Would love tips!
Hi Kate! As this cake needs to be chilled for a few hours before serving, I find it really easy to do as you described, and invert the cake pan to release the cake. Once chilled, the cake is no longer super delicate, and holds up well to this type of removal. You could also try using these cool parchment circles with tabs, which allow you to easily grab the tabs for super easy removal. I hope that helps! Let us know what you think of this cake once you have given it a try 🙂 Happy baking!
I made your lovely cake. It is cooling as I type. I need to freeze this. I am letting it cool completley
I’m thinking of putting it in fridge after it cools to set, then wrapping well and freezing it. Is that the proper way or just let it cool outside of the fridge?
Hi Lynn! That freezing method is perfect! You can find tips for freezing this cake in the Tip Box, just above the recipe! Let us know what you think of this cake once you have given it a try!
Do you think I could bake this and freeze it ahead of time? Without the ganache? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!
Hi Jaime! Yes, this cake freezes beautifully! You can find all Tessa’s tips for this in the Tip Box, just above the recipe 🙂
OMG!! SO GOOD! I made this cake and my whole family loved it! So good, it has the consistency of a brownie, it’s not to fudgy at all. Such an easy recipe. I will be making this again for sure.
I haven’t made the cake yet but looks amazing. Questions about the pans. My regular round cake pans are not tall enough. I do have 10 1/2, 8 1/2 & 7 1/2 inch cheesecake pans with high sides; and the side come off these pans. If I make a single recipe, which pan should I use? If I make a double recipe, which pan should I use?
Sharon
Hi Sharon! We haven’t tested this cake in a springform/cheesecake pan, but the 8 1/2 size should work okay. This recipe makes enough batter to fill the pan quite full, so we suggest using a 3-inch deep pan to ensure no overflow. We also haven’t tried doubling this recipe so I can’t say for sure which size/type of pan would work best. I’d recommend making a single batch of the recipe first just so you can see how your cake turns out, then experiment with a double batch 🙂 Let us know how it goes!
Thanks so much for your very speedy reply. I’ll make a single version first. And I’ll report back.
Now I have another request. Someone who is diabetic has asked me to also make a sugar free version with Monk fruit sugar substitute. What do you think?
I’m making these for the upcoming Passover Sedar.
Sharon
We don’t bake with substitutions, so I can’t say for sure. Sugar does so much more than sweeten this cake though, it contributes to the texture as well! You’re welcome to experiment, but personally, I’d search for a different sugar-free recipe that has already been tested with success. That way you’re not wasting ingredients if it doesn’t turn out. Good luck!
The first cake made, placed on a round wood base (made by husband) wrapped with plastic and in the freezer. Much easier than I expected. A little fumbling with the digital thermometer. Hope I didn’t overcook it. We didn’t get to taste it yet. Now on to the double cake. I’ll report back.
Sharon
Fabulous!!! Finally got to serve the cake and it was enjoyed by all. I made a double batch in a 10 inch springform pan. It took 46 minutes to reach the 200 degrees baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to leave the side on the pan until it is completely cool or the sides threaten to separate from the center. Actually, I left the bottom and side on while frozen for a week before serving.
But, when we finally got to eat it…There were 15 of us. Nothing left. It was a great Passover dessert. I decorated with whipped cream and 6 whole strawberries on top. But we passed around the whipped cream and cut strawberries for everyone to pile more on their cake. I think this will be a staple in our recipe book. I plan to make this next month for the birthday of a friend who needs to be gluten-free. THANKS!!! Sharon
Best cake ever. Perfect combination of decadent sweet and chocolatey . I’ve made it 3 times and it’s always a big hit .
Hi! Wondering if you’d recommend doubling this recipe for a layered cake effect? Not sure how this cake would do for slicing through the middle after being chilled?
Also what would you recommend the baking temp and times to be if this was the case?
Thanks!
Hi Natalie! Honestly, I’m not sure how this cake would work as a layer cake. The texture isn’t like a typical layered cake, and it’s on the heavier side thanks to the delicious rich ingredients. If you wish to give it a try, I’d recommend doubling the recipe and splitting the batter into two pans, at the same time and temp listed in the recipe, then layering them together with frosting once cooled. This cake does typically sink a little in the middle, so it may be slightly tricky to frost nicely. Let us know how it goes if you give that a try!