Flourless chocolate cake is a rich chocolate cake that's made without any flour. The cake is moist and chocolaty inside with a crisp meringue-like crust outside.
About a year ago, my site was featured in a little blurb in Better Homes & Gardens magazine. One of the questions was about the most popular recipe on my site, which, at that time, was a flourless fudge cookie recipe.
Somehow, when it ran in the magazine, it ended up as a flourless chocolate cake recipe instead. I received quite a few emails and messages asking me where the recipe was.
It's taken me a year to post it, but this flourless chocolate cake recipe is totally worth that wait!
The outside is a crisp, meringue-like shell, and the inside of the cake is soft and rich and chocolaty.
Raspberries are optional, but their tart zing really goes well with this cake.
How to make
In a heavy saucepan over low heat, begin to melt butter. When butter is partially melted, add chocolate.
Stir regularly until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt on low for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high if using a stand mixer (see the note below the recipe if using a hand mixer), and continue beating for 7-8 minutes, or until batter is thick and pale yellow.
This step is key, so please don't cut the mixing time short.
Stream in cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Batter should look like thick chocolate mousse at this point.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Gently remove the springform pan ring.
Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar, if desired.
Tips
Chocolate: You can use bars of baking chocolate or use good-quality bittersweet chocolate chips.
Butter: I use salted butter. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, increase the salt to ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of table salt.
Kosher salt: Or a pinch of table salt.
Mixing: If you're using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, you'll need to mix the egg mixture on high. You'll also need to add additional mixing time to get the egg mixture thick enough as a hand mixer isn't as powerful as a stand mixer.
Serving suggestions
I like to dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar and a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder just before serving. You could also serve the cake topped with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
More flourless dessert recipes!
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Flourless Chocolate Cake
Equipment
- 9" Springform pan
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate chopped
- ¾ cup butter
- 6 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Powdered sugar optional
- Cocoa powder optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, and spray parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a heavy saucepan over low heat, begin to melt butter.
- When butter is partially melted, add chocolate.
- Stir regularly until chocolate and butter are melted and combined.
- Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt on low for 30 seconds.
- Increase speed to medium-high if using a stand mixer (see the note below if using a hand mixer), and continue beating for 7-8 minutes, or until batter is thick and pale yellow. This step is key, so please don't cut the mixing time short.
- Stream in cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Batter should look like thick chocolate mousse at this point.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for about 70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- Gently remove the springform pan ring.
- Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
- Chocolate: You can use bars of baking chocolate or use good-quality bittersweet chocolate chips.
- Butter: I use salted butter. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, increase the salt to ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon of table salt.
- Kosher salt: Or a pinch of table salt.
- Mixing: If you're using a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer, you'll need to mix the egg mixture on high. You'll also need to add additional mixing time to get the egg mixture thick enough as a hand mixer isn't as powerful as a stand mixer.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Originally published 2/2/18. Updated with additional photos and tips 3/15/21.
Mary Ann
Hi, how do you store this cake? I'm making in the evening and taking to work the next morning and don't want to lose that crispy top. Thanks!
Kate
It depends on how humid it is where you live. You can either loosely cover it or leave it uncovered to help keep the top crispy. Hope that helps!
Mary Ann
Hi Kate, thank you. I should have asked if it needs to be refrigerated or not? Thanks!
Gigi
This is a great cake my daughter can't eat gulltin so we have been looking for homemade treats for her some of the store bought cakes taste yucky this however very tasty
Kate
Thank you! I'm glad that you liked the cake! Thank you for coming back to comment. =)
Maggie
I made this cake for a friend's birthday celebration and it was a smashing success! Everyone wanted the recipe or wanted to know when I could make another cake! Thanks!
Kate
Yay!! I'm so glad that it was a hit! Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment! =)
Stephanie
Fantastic recipe! Easy to follow instructions and amazing cake make this one a winner.
Kate
Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment!