Flourless Chocolate Cake! Simple 7-ingredient chocolate cake created with no flour. The beautiful cracked crust is reminiscent of meringue, which is an element in this recipe that is classic in creating a wonderful flourless chocolate cake. Fudgy in the middle and perfect to serve for dessert!
What is Flourless Chocolate Cake
Flourless chocolate cake isn’t similar to regular chocolate cake at all, why? The texture is dense and fudgy, not at all light and fluffy. Although it’s called cake, you might be surprised how different it is to regular cake. I would compare it to a fudge brownie with a cracked crust. It’s rich and absolutely delicious. The top is certainly a showstopper and you’re likely to enjoy this as a dessert as opposed to an afternoon tea cake, although you definitely can do that as well. If you’re opting to have it for dessert, enjoy your flourless chocolate cake warmed up and served with ice-cream or dolloped cream.
Key Ingredients
There are 7 ingredients used to create this flourless chocolate cake:
Dark chocolate block as the main chocolate component to this cake.
Unsalted butter adds flavour, fat and richness.
Eggs to provide structure which holds this cake together. Whipped egg whites also result in that gorgeous cracked crust.
Granulated sugar to add sweetness and to help stabilise the structure of the whipped egg white and therefore the entire cake.
Vanilla extract adds additional flavour.
Dutch-process cocoa powder contributes to the chocolate flavour.
Instant coffee powder enhances the flavour of the chocolate block and cocoa powder.
Using dutch-process cocoa for this cake provides that rich chocolate flavour and decadence. If you don’t have access to dutch-process cocoa powder, try using natural unsweetened cocoa powder. It will alter the finished flavour and texture slightly but if you can get the dutch-process, I highly recommend it. The addition of coffee also helps enhance the chocolate flavour, providing a wonderful depth.
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
To make your flourless cake, you first need to melt down the dark chocolate with the butter until smooth in a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Large enough as this is what will be used to bring together the entire cake and also the right size which fits comfortably on top of your pot. Set this aside so it can cool slightly.
Separate eggs and add the whites to a medium-large mixing bowl. Add the yolks and vanilla to the cooled chocolate and butter mixture. Whisk until well combined with the chocolate.
Sift over the cocoa and add the coffee to the chocolate, whisk well.
Now you whip your egg whites whilst gradually adding in the sugar. Beat to stiff peaks, this process will take you about 3 minutes.
Add 1/3 of the whipped egg whites to the chocolate mix and fold through. Adding the remaining whites, a 1/3 at a time, you will do this in 3 additions. Gently folding until incorporated and no white streaks remain in the batter. Also ensure not to over-mix as you can deflate those beautifully aerated egg whites too much.
Pour into your lined springform pan and smooth out the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs still on it and the middle no longer jiggles. Ensure not to over-bake as the cake can dry out in the middle easily. Cracks will also appear around the edges and on of the top.
Once baked, remove from the oven and allow your cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then release the springform pan and gently lift out the cake. Allow to cool for a further 10-15 minutes until its easier to slide the cake off the base whilst it’s still somewhat warm as it’s harder to remove once the cake is cooled. It’s ok if more cracks appear on the crust, that’s the nature of this cake.
Transfer your cake to a wire rack to cool completely. You can also cool it in the refrigerator to fasten up the process. Enjoy your cake warmed up served with ice-cream or dolloped cream.
Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.
Top Tips for a Successful Flourless Chocolate Cake
- To prepare your springform pan, grease it with butter then line it with baking/parchment paper. Using baking paper in addition to the butter is best for this cake, as it can stick very easily to the pan if you only grease it.
- When separating your eggs, ensure you don’t get any yolks in your whites, this can hinder your whites from whipping correctly. To help you with this, you can add one egg white into a small bowl at a time, look to see if any yolks have escaped into your whites and then remove it. Then add your egg white to the large mixing bowl you’re using to whip them. Doing this with one egg white at a time will certainly ensure you don’t get any yolks in those whites.
- When whipping your egg whites, you know when they’ve reached the stiff peak stage by lifting up the beaters and they should be shiny and hold their shape. They also shouldn’t fall back into the bowl when lifted up.
- Don’t over-bake your cake as it can dry out in the middle quickly, you want it to remain fudgy. Remove from the oven when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs still on it and the middle no longer jiggles. If you’re still unsure, take it out if you think it’s ready, always better to be slightly under-baked than over-baked.
Looking for more easy cake recipes? Here are some favourites:
Vanilla & Wild Blueberry Sheet Cake with Lemon Syrup Icing
If you make this recipe please be sure to let me know how you go in the comments below and tag me on Instagram with your delicious photos & video! I love to see what you guys are making from the blog and enjoying with your loved ones.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Prep Time: 20min
- Cook Time: 40min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8–10 slices 1x
Description
Simple 7-ingredient chocolate cake created with no flour. The beautiful cracked crust is reminiscent of meringue, which is an element in this recipe that is classic in creating a wonderful flourless chocolate cake. Fudgy in the middle and perfect to serve for dessert!
Ingredients
- 200g plain baking/cooking dark chocolate block, broken into squares or roughly chopped
- 100g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 5 medium-large eggs, at room temperature (all eggs together in shells weighing approx. 290g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (140g) raw or white granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp (25g) dutch-process cocoa powder, if you can’t get dutch-process, try using natural unsweetened cocoa but the dutch-process is highly recommended
- 2 tsp (2g) instant coffee powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160ºC (320ºF). Grease with butter and line a 9 inch (22cm) round springform pan with baking paper on the base and sides. Set aside.
- Prepare a double boiler with a large heat proof mixing bowl over simmering water, such as a glass mixing bowl. NOTE: make sure this is big enough, as this is the bowl which you’ll end up mixing all of the ingredients together for the entire cake.
- Add chocolate and butter to the bowl and warm over low-medium heat until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly whilst you separate the eggs.
- Separate eggs, pouring egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add yolks into a small bowl.
- When chocolate mixture has cooled slightly and just warm to the touch when you dip your finger in, add egg yolks and vanilla, whisk through until well combined.
- Sift over cocoa and add coffee powder. Set aside.
- To whip the egg whites, use an electric hand beater or stand mixer with the whisk attached, beat for 20 seconds until foamy.
- Gradually pour in sugar one tablespoon at a time, whilst beating on medium-high speed, beating for 30 seconds between each addition of sugar. Scrape down the sides if any sugar is stuck to the bowl. Continue to beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes all up. To test if the egg whites are done, stop the beater and lift up the beaters, the egg whites should hold their shape and not fall back down into the bowl.
- Give the chocolate mixture a stir again, if it’s turned too thick, mix it well to loosen it up.
- Add 1/3 of whipped egg whites to the chocolate mixture, fold with a spatula until just combined. Ensuring to patiently fold them through to avoid deflating the egg whites too much.
- Add another 1/3 of the whites and fold through until just combined, some white streaks will still be visible.
- Add the last 1/3 of whites and fold until fully incorporated with no white streaks remaining. Also ensure not to over-mix, just until you notice no white streaks visible. If you keep mixing, you will lose too much air in those whipped eggs.
- Pour into lined springform pan. Smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs still on it and the middle no longer jiggles. Ensure not to over-bake as the cake can dry out in the middle easily. Cracks will also appear around the edges and on top.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Gently release springform and lift out cake. Allow to cool for a further 10-15 minutes until its easier to slide the cake off the base whilst it’s still somewhat warm as it’s harder to remove once the cake is cooled. It’s ok if more cracks appear on the crust, that’s the nature of this cake.
- Transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely. You can also cool it in the refrigerator to fasten up the process.
- Serve and enjoy! Can also warm it up and serve with ice-cream or dolloped cream.
- Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.
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