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.
Have you ever made these in a miniature version with a cupcake pan? If so, how did they turn out? I want to make mini ones so I don’t have to wait super long to eat them! haha
haha, I totally get that! We haven’t made a mini cupcake version ourselves; however, other commenters have used larger or smaller pans with success. I’d imagine a cupcake tin would also work, you’ll just need to reduce the bake time. Let us know how it goes if you try it out!
IT WAS AMAZING!! GF & DF.
I highly recommend for a flourless chocolate cake recipe. The recipe is well written, easy to follow and the result before and after baking makes one of the most beautiful cakes I have ever made.
When I made the cake I also subbed out all dairy for dairy alternative ingredients. Lurpak plant based butter and Flora plant based cream and vegan choc chips. Paired with blood plum compote to cut through the richness of the chocolate cake.
It’s going into the recipe reserve for a must have chocolate cake.
Thanks for sharing your substitutions and for the wonderful 5-star review! Your compote sounds fantastic, so happy you loved the recipe 🙂
Wonderful recipe. I added blended raspberries into the mix to come up with a raspberry flavored cake. Came out wonderful. Did not change anything else. Other times I have added orange zest too in place of raspberries to create an orange /dark chocolate cake
Made it with slightly less sugar than the recipe called for (110 gm vs 150gm in the recipe). Also used cacao powder and 72% dark chocolate. Was amazing! My whole family loved and devoured it. Incredible, rich, dark chocolate flavor…
Will definitely make it again, and experiment with 1/2 sugar with some allulose.
Thank you for this incredible recipe!
I noticed a previous comment asking about using a sugar substitute for a more diabetes friendly version.
I just made this using 1/2 white sugar and 1/2 monk fruit/allulose blend. I measured it by weight to get exactly half and half so I’d have a reference point in case I made it in the future with additional changes.
It turned out A LOT better than I anticipated and I received many positive comments from my coworkers who I had made it for. I did not notice any change in taste and I’m generally pretty taste sensitive to artificial/non nutritive sweeteners. In my opinion, it may have been a little drier than if I had used all sugar, but it was not overly noticeable and well worth the decrease in sugar. That being said, if I was to make it using all allulose/monk fruit blend, I would probably add something to increase the overall moisture of the recipe.
Also, the allulose/monk fruit blend is less sweet than sugar measure for measure, but I feel like if you love dark chocolate, you won’t miss the slight decrease in sweetness.
Thanks so much for sharing your substitutions, Alicia! So happy they worked beautifully 🙂
Shoot! I was going to make this for tonight and serve it in about 5 hours….is it completely necessary to let it cool for 6 hours minimum or will I be ok?
I have not even started making it yet. It will likely only be able to cool for 4 hours. I missed this part of the instructions!
Just seeing this now! That chill time allows the cake to set up, but 4-5 hours should be fine. Did you end up giving it a try?
How far in advance can you make this recipe and the cake still be good?
Hi Peggy! Tessa shares storage instructions in her notes above the recipe, but you can keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It’s a perfect make-ahead recipe for the holidays!
Hi! I am pre diabetes is there any substitute I can use for granulated sugar? Any suggestions?
Hi Joy, the granulated sugar is needed in this recipe—not only for sweetness, but it also assists with the structure of the cake. We haven’t tested any substitutions, so I can’t say for sure if any would work! I’d recommend searching online for a recipe that doesn’t use sugar, if that’s what you need, but please let us know how it goes if you experiment with a sub. Wish I could help further!
Hi Joy….I made this for a diabetic with a sugar substitute (not Splenda or any aspartame products)….it turned out well but I think I’ve also made this using 1/4 sugar and substitute and it was good…..very rich, decadent but good for celiacs and diabetics alike….good luck
Trying this recipe for the first time. Whatever reason I wasn’t able to find my cake pans, but I do have a bundt pan. Be the cooked time if I used a bunt pan versus a cake pan?
Hi Elizabeth, sorry for the delayed response! We haven’t made this cake in a bundt pan, so I can’t say for sure on the timing or how easy it’d be to remove it from the pan. Did you end up trying it?
Hi! I’m curious if this could be made in a cupcake pan instead? My son is making it for a class project and I think that’ll be easier to serve to classmates!
Hi Stevie! That sounds like such a fun class project! We haven’t tested this recipe in a cupcake pan, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. The bake time will definitely be shorter, so keep a close eye on them and maybe test one or two first to see how they turn out. I’d love to hear how it goes — your son’s classmates are in for a treat!
Delicious option for gluten free chocolate cake! So good!
Followed the recipe and it turned out perfect. I had to cook it 45 minutes I think- checked several times with a thermometer. Yummy and it disappeared in no time hence no photo!
Amazing! I’m so glad it was enjoyed.