What dessert do you make when you need an intense, amazing, and rich dessert, but don’t want to spend hours fussing in the kitchen? When you want a showstopper of dessert? Easy flourless chocolate cake is exactly what you make.
Just four ingredients, and one of them is a whole POUND of chocolate, so get the best tasting chocolate you can! Soon you will be on your way to decadent chocolate nirvana.
This flourless chocolate cake is a recipe I’ve been making for many years.
I remember seeing the recipe in an issue of Cook’s Illustrated and I loved the simplicity of it – basically just chocolate, butter, and eggs. Plus coffee, though I’ve changed that to Kahlua. 🙂
Because why not?
Like my Chocolate Lava Cakes, I like to keep it simple with this cake. Because a chocolate cake this rich and this dense and this melt in your mouth good doesn’t need anything fancy.
A little fruit – I like strawberries or raspberries. A little shake of powdered sugar. And that’s it!
This is a chocolate cake which can speak for itself.
As for you? You’ll be reduced to little sounds of happiness as you eat every last morsel.
What you need to make flourless chocolate cake
Now that I’ve convinced you to make the cake, while the cake isn’t difficult, you will need a few tools!
Two important ones are: a mixer – either a hand held mixer or a stand mixer – and a springform pan. If you have those rattling around your kitchen, you are good to go!
You need the mixer so you can whip those eggs into a foam. Yes, if you have a very strong arm and feel like spending some time, you can use a whisk, but that’s a lot of work.
A mixer is really the way to go. If you have a standing mixer, even better since it can work while you melt the chocolate.
And the springform pan allows you to easily remove the cake for serving. Just open up the side and you can serve it right on the base. Or use some parchment and slide it off onto a serving tray.
Other than that, you need a pot and a heat safe bowl and some spoons/spatulas.
Tips on making flourless chocolate cake
Just a few more things about this flourless chocolate cake before I give you the recipe.
1 – Don’t overcook it! It won’t look completely done when you take it out and that is okay. 140F is the temperature you are shooting for. Once you see it, it’s time to get it out of the oven.
2 – The cake needs some time to rest. It’s hard work becoming such a great cake! So, make it the day before and let it relax in the fridge. You can even let it rest for a few days, since it’s still yummy even days later. (Though don’t let it sit for a whole week! 3-4 days is plenty.)
3 – A warm knife and a cloth to wipe it down in between cuts is the best way to cut the cake neatly.
Intense Chocolate Desserts
Here are a few more of my favorite intense chocolate recipes!
- Amazing Fudgy Brownies with Peppermint Ganache
- Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta
- Soft and Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Rich Pistachio and Chocolate Baklava
- Dark Chocolate Mousse Pie
If you try my recipe for Flourless Chocolate Cake, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.
– Happy Baking, Annemarie
- 8 large eggs
- 16 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp coffee liqueur such as Kahlua
- Move the oven rack to the lower middle position. Preheat the oven 325F.
- Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter and then cut a parchment round to line the bottom of the pan. Wrap heavy duty aluminum foil around the outside of the pan to guard against leaks. Place the springform pan in a large straight sided skillet or roasting pan and begin heating water for the water bath. You will need enough water to reach about half-way up the side of the springform pan.
- Crack the eggs into the bowl of a standing mixer. Fit it with the wire whip attachment and start the mixer on medium low until the eggs begin to foam, about 30 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium high and whip until doubled in volume, the color is light, and the bubbles are very fine, about 5 minutes. If you are using a hand mixer, crack the eggs into a large bowl, start on medium and then whip them on high until they are done.
- Heat a medium saucepan of water on the stove until just beginning to simmer. Place a large heatproof bowl over the saucepan and melt the chocolate, butter, and coffee liqueur. Keep the water steaming, but not boiling and stir the chocolate mixture frequently until it is smooth and has reached 115F on a thermometer.
- Fold 1/3 of the egg foam into the chocolate with a large rubber spatula until it's mostly mixed in. Then add the next 1/3 of the egg and mix again. And finish with the last 1/3 of the egg, this time folding it in until it is thoroughly mixed in and the batter is homogeneous.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan, smoothing the top. Transfer the pan in the roasting pan to the oven and pour the water around it. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a thermometer in the center reaches 140F.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Then wrap the cake in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Before serving, put the cake on the counter to warm up a bit. Then remove it from the springform pan. You can serve it right on the base or invert the cake onto a cutting board lined with wax paper and then invert it again onto a serving dish.
- If desired, serve with raspberries or strawberries and dust the cake with confectioners' sugar.
- Equipment: You will need an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan. I use a 9-inch pan. If you are using an 8-inch pan increase the cooking time to 22-24 minutes.
- Coffee Liqueur: Feel free to skip the coffee liqueur or to use strong coffee in its place. Also, you can change up the flavor by using other liqueurs, such as orange, hazelnut, or raspberry.
- Getting the cake out of the pan: If the cake does not want to release from the bottom of the springform pan, a hair dryer is a great way to quickly warm up the bottom of the cake and soften the butter which is holding the cake in place.
- Chocolate seizing/splitting: If you overheat the chocolate, it will either seize or split. If the chocolate seizes, you will see it turn into a solid mass. If it splits, the fat will separate out. To prevent this, keep the temperature low as you melt the chocolate and be ready to take it off the heat if you think it is getting too hot.
- Source: Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.
April says
Thank-you for sharing your recipe!! Very easy, turned out exactly as described!! I substituted coconut oil for butter and orange brandy for Kahlua!! Served with raspberries and coconut cream. Delicious and decadent!!
justalittlebitofbacon says
The orange brandy sounds nice! I’m glad you enjoyed the cake. 🙂
Deah says
Just wanted to thank you for this quick, easy and decadent recipe! This is the third time I’ve made it and it’s turned out perfectly each time, even when I subbed the coffee liqueur with vanilla or coffee. I’ve had to share the recipe with every person I’ve served it to. 😉
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thank for the message! I’m so happy you have enjoyed the recipe as much as I do.
Jennifer says
Does the cake freeze well?
justalittlebitofbacon says
Yes, it freezes very well. I usually double wrap it – plastic wrap and then a bag. I’ve kept it in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready just move it to the fridge and let it thaw overnight.
Michelle says
Made this today. It was easy enough to make and it smells fabulous. However, when I took it out of the oven, it was covered with a pool of butter. I siphoned off over a half cup. I made it per the directions, with the only deviations the addition of 1tsp of vanilla and I tempered the eggs before adding them to the chocolate. If I were to make this again, I would decrease the butter to 1 stick.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Ooooh, I’m sorry it didn’t work. Based on what you’re saying here, my thought is that your chocolate overheated, so it didn’t quite seize but it scorched a bit. (This post about brownies talks about a similar problem and says it was probably the cocoa butter you were siphoning.) I shall be editing the recipe to add more direction about melting the chocolate.
Laura Burch says
We’ll be eating this tonight, so I’ll know more then, but i didn’t get the water sealed out so i had to pour that off real quick right before the oven. I baked it without the water bath. Then, when it was done, there was so much butter floating on top that i filled the turkey baster 3 times! I had make it sugar free, so i used unsweetened chocolate & powdered Swerve. But–CHOCOLATE!
justalittlebitofbacon says
I hope your cake was okay. It wasn’t my cake, but perhaps it was still edible? You may want to look at paleo blogs for sugar free chocolate desserts in the future.
Laura says
It definitely wasn’t your cake! But it was worth the try. Looking forward to doing it right next time. Still not sure why the butter separated. Thanks for recipe.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Too bad. It’s possible your chocolate seized or scorched. Scorched is most likely since it’s easy for the water to get too hot. And, honestly, I have no idea how the unsweetened chocolate and sugar substitute would affect things.
Jen says
My 9” springform pan has a larger base below the actual springform so it is too large for any roasting pan that I could add water to that would go up around the sides of the springform pan.
Is that crutial or is there potentially another method?
(Or just borrow someone else’s springform pan? 😉 )
justalittlebitofbacon says
Hmmm. A pot or high-sided skillet would work if you have one that fits. Without the water bath the outer crust of the cake is going to cook more than the middle. Think a tray of brownies and the drier outside. It will still be good, but it won’t be quite as smooth and creamy. Add some whipped cream or maybe a raspberry sauce and no one will notice. 🙂 Oh, and I would keep a close eye on it since it will probably cook a little quicker.
kat says
Absolutely awesome! It freezes well-if there is any left! I like your idea of the springform pan, it does make it look nicer.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thank you!
Steph says
Maybe this goes without saying, but in order to whip the eggs I need to first separate the whites from the yolks right? If so do I add the yolks back at any point? Its my first time making this type of cake!
justalittlebitofbacon says
This is an excellent question! You do not separate the eggs. You can whip eggs so that they turn lighter color and have more volume even if you are whipping the whole egg. It’s not the same as whipping an egg white, but we don’t want that much volume. 🙂
Rosie says
This looks incredible, love the look of the texture!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks! It’s a great recipe we’ve been enjoying for years.
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube says
So I am definitely making this! It’s also a perfect cake for those days when you want to bake and realize you don’t have any flour (like it happened to me a few days ago) 🙂
justalittlebitofbacon says
I have more trouble keeping chocolate in the house! (I live with chocolate fiends. 🙂 ) But you certainly will never miss the flour with this cake. I love it for gluten-free friends.
Sandra says
I’m happy to find this flourless chocolate cake 🙂 – definitely entering my list of favorite recipes. It seems simple to bake, but looks delicous.
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks, Sandra! I love this recipe and have been making it for years. I hope you love it too!
Cathy | whatshouldimakefor.com says
simple equals delicious. this is the perfect cake for chocolate lovers. which i most definitely am . please make this for my birthday!!
justalittlebitofbacon says
I’ll make it for your birthday, but you’ll have to come up to Massachusetts to eat it. 🙂 Might be a bit of a trip!