If you love chocolate, you will love this Flourless Chocolate Cake. It’s a decadent dessert that feels fancy, but is secretly so easy to make. It is ultra fudgy, deeply chocolatey, and has a tender melt in your mouth center, almost like chocolate mousse. The best part is it only takes a few ingredients and mixes in just one bowl.
This Flourless Chocolate Cake is the kind of dessert that works for all occasions. It’s perfect for holidays, dinner parties, birthdays, or just when you need a serious chocolate fix. It looks so elegant on a cake stand, especially topped with some whipped cream and fresh berries, but doesn’t take a lot of effort.
This flourless chocolate cake has the best balance of rich chocolate, without feeling too heavy. The texture is smooth, dense, and its almost like the best brownies you’ve ever had. It has the best fudgy texture and flavor, and ultra rich chocolate ganache topping.
The cake slices up beautifully, has an intense chocolate flavor, and stays moist for days. No tricky steps, no hard to find ingredients, and its naturally flourless, so its perfect for those friends who need things gluten free. It bakes up into one truly impressive, and decadent cake that everyone will love!
Why you’ll Love this
- Only a Few Ingredients: This cake uses just 7 ingredients, and you probably have them all in your kitchen right now.
- Naturally Gluten Free: There is no flour in this recipe, that means its not the texture of a typical chocolate cake, but its perfect for those who need gluten free, and those who don’t.
- Super Rich and Fudgy: The inside is dense, smooth, and almost like a chocolate truffle, or chocolate mousse in the middle.
- Perfect for all Occasions: The cake looks elegant enough for holidays (Valentine’s Day, Christmas, you name it) or dinner parties, but is easy enough to whip up for any weeknight craving.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of some of the ingredients you’ll need for this Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Unsalted Butter: Use real butter for the best flavor. You can use salted butter too.
- Chocolate: Chop up a high quality chocolate bar, I like to use Bakers Semi Sweet Chocolate, or Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Chocolate.
- Granulated Sugar: Helps sweeten the cake, but also moistens the cake.
- Vanilla Extract: Just a little for flavor
- Salt: Just a dash to balance the sweetness, you can skip it if you use salted butter.
- Eggs: We need them for the structure of the cake, bring them to room temperature for about 1 hour before using.
- Cocoa Powder: Adds extra chocolatey depth and richness
- Heavy Cream: To melt the chocolate and make a super smooth ganache.
How to make Flourless Chocolate Cake
Step 1: Melt the Chocolate. Add the chocolate and butter to a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until its smooth and melted.
Step 2: Make the Batter. Add in the sugar, vanilla extract and salt and stir until combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined after you add in each egg. Add in the cocoa powder, and stir until its just combined, do not overmix.
Step 3: Bake the Cake. Pour the cake batter into a parchment lined, and greased 8inch cake pan. Smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Bake the cake until the edges and top are set, but the middle may still be a little soft and jiggly. Let the cake cool for 10 minute in the pan, then carefully invert it onto a plate or platter. Let it cool completely.
Step 4: Add the Ganache. Add heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute until it is hot. Pour it over the chopped chocolate in a bowl and let it sit for a couple minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Spread the ganache over the top of the cooled cake. Let it set for a few hours, before slicing and serving the cake.
Tips and Tricks:
- Prevent Sticking: Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (you can buy parchment paper rounds or cut it out of regular parchment paper.) Then grease the pan with non stick spray, then lightly dust the pan with unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Do not Overbake: The center of the cake should still be a little jiggly (the inner couple inches) when you remove it from the oven.
- Toppings: I love adding a little powdered sugar, whipped cream and fresh berries on top of the cake. It adds a little extra sweetness, and balances the richness of the cake.
Storage Instructions
The flourless chocolate cake should be covered with a lid, or plastic wrap and can sit at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze the cake by wrapping it fully in plastic wrap (or individual slices) and then in foil. Freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight then enjoy.
This flourless chocolate cake is proof that just a few simple ingredients can create something truly special. The cake is rich, fudgy, and packed with chocolate, yet easy enough for any home baker! You’ll want to make it for every special occasion you have!
More Chocolate Favorites
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 8 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar (Chopped)
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 3/4 cup + 2 TBS Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 4 Large Eggs (if eggs are small use 5)
- 2/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (sifted)
For the Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 4 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar (chopped)
For Serving:
- Powdered Sugar
- Whipped Cream
- Fresh Berries
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8inch cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom, then lightly grease with non stick spray. Lightly dust the pan with unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Add the chocolate and butter to a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each until you can stir it smooth. 8 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar, 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt until just combined. 3/4 cup + 2 TBS Granulated Sugar , 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1/4 tsp Salt
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, stirring after each until just combined. 4 Large Eggs
- Add in the sifted cocoa powder and fold it into the mixture until just combined. 2/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula.
- Bake the cake in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is set, and the edges, but the middle couple of inches are still soft and a little jiggly.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a plate or platter to cool completely.
For the Chocolate Ganache Topping:
- Add the Heavy Cream to a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute until hot. 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate in another bowl and let it sit for 2 minutes. 4 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar
- Gently stir the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is totally melted and the mixture is smooth. Let the ganache sit for about 10 minutes to slightly cool.
- Spoon the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake and spread it to the edge of the cake. Let it set for a couple of hours until the ganache is set.
For Serving:
- Top the cake with powdered sugar. Top it, or individual slices with fresh whipped cream and berries, and slice into pieces and enjoy. Powdered Sugar, Whipped Cream, Fresh Berries
Notes
- Prevent Sticking: Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (you can buy parchment paper rounds or cut it out of regular parchment paper.) Then grease the pan with non stick spray, then lightly dust the pan with unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Do not Overbake: The center of the cake should still be a little jiggly (the inner couple inches) when you remove it from the oven.
- Toppings: I love adding a little powdered sugar, whipped cream and fresh berries on top of the cake. It adds a little extra sweetness, and balances the richness of the cake.
- Storage Instructions: The flourless chocolate cake should be covered with a lid, or plastic wrap and can sit at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer Instructions: You can also freeze the cake by wrapping it fully in plastic wrap (or individual slices) and then in foil. Freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight then enjoy.
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