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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cake

    Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Updated: Mar 2, 2020 โ€ข Published: Feb 6, 2019 by Sam Merritt โ€ข 82 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Flourless Chocolate Cake may be missing one of my most well-used ingredients, but it’s missing absolutely nothing in terms of flavor! Fudgy, rich, decadent, and supremely chocolatey, this cake is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. Be sure to check out the how-to video at the bottom of the recipe! 

    This recipe has a smooth, creamy, and ultra-rich texture that reminds me of a cross between a cheesecake and a chocolate cake. If you’re a chocoholic like me, you’re going to love this one! Make sure to top yours off with chocolate ganache and homemade whipped cream!

    Slice of flourless chocolate cake on white plate

    Calling all chocoholics!!! This Flourless Chocolate Cake is for you!

    Hopefully you, my fellow chocolate fiends, have been enjoying some of the recipes that I’ve shared recently. From my chocolate lava cakes (obsessed!), to chocolate truffles, to today’s recipe, things have been quite decadent recently. Part of it is prepping for Valentine’s Day with rich chocolatey desserts, part of it is just my own chocolate addiction.

    But before we go any further, let’s address the elephant in the room. Flourless? I don’t do a lot of flour-free recipes around here, and this certainly isn’t a blog that specializes in gluten-free, so what’s with the lack of grain??

    I was hesitant at first, too, until I realized how removing the flour actually made for an insanely rich and decadent cake. One that’s more chocolatey than any other you’ve ever tried… It’s kind of like we left the flour out just to make more room for chocolate. Please, don’t be intimidated by the lack of flour. I promise the flavor and texture more than makes up for it.

    Pouring Ganache over cake

    Is Flourless Cake Gluten Free?

    Yes! As I mentioned, I don’t exactly do a lot of gluten free recipes on my blog; I’m simply not familiar with the flourless lifestyle.

    However, flourless chocolate cake is worth omitting the flour for. Because we don’t use flour here, the end result is a decadent, supremely rich and moist cake that lacks for nothing.

    Does This Cake Need to be Refrigerated?

    While I’ve found some sources that suggest it does not need to be refrigerated, I personally recommend refrigerating. Refrigeration helps keep this cake’s texture more firm than it would be at room temperature.

    I will either store in the springform pan and cover with plastic wrap or foil or transfer the cake to an airtight container. If you’re insistent upon keeping your cake out of the refrigerator, make sure to cover it and it should keep for 2 days.

    How Long Will Flourless Chocolate Cake Keep?

    It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Good luck getting it to last that long, though! I think the personal record in my house is 1.5 days…

    Ganache poured over flourless chocolate cake

    How to Slice

    This might seem like a silly question, but I’ve found that this cake can actually be a little difficult to slice. If you try to cut it like you’d cut any cake, the pieces will end up looking a little messy and not exactly pretty.

    If you’re not worried about your cake slices being pretty, then feel free to proceed to slicing with reckless abandon. However, if you’re like me and care about silly things like presenting cake in a pretty manner, you’ll appreciate this tip:

    Take a large sharp knife and run it under very hot water. Carefully, wipe it dry with a clean cloth, then make your first cut. Run the knife under hot water again, letting the hot water rinse off any residual chocolate and warm the blade. Wipe dry once again, then make your second cut and remove your slice of cake! A few extra steps but it actually makes the process much cleaner and easier (and prettier) in the end.

    Slice of flourless chocolate cake on plate topped with berries and cream

    Enjoy!

    More Decadent Chocolate Desserts You Might Like:

    • Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Chocolate Muffins
    • Chocolate Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Cheesecake
    • Chocolate Sauce

    Be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the recipe! If you enjoy watching, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 100 recipe videos that you can watch for free!

    Slice of flourless chocolate cake

    Flourless Chocolate Cake

    Fudgy, rich, decadent, and supremely chocolatey, this flourless chocolate cake is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Cake, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Chilling Time: 6 hours hours
    Total Time: 6 hours hours 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 325kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter
    • 6 oz coarsely chopped premium chocolate bar I use 60% Ghirardelli
    • 1 teaspoon instant coffee optional
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 4 large eggs room temperature
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 batch chocolate ganache optional
    • homemade whipped cream for topping, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325F (160C) and line the bottom of an 8” springform pan with parchment paper.
    • Combine butter and chocolate in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and microwave in 15 second intervals (stirring well in between) until mixture is melted and smooth. Stir in instant coffee and vanilla extract and set aside.
      12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, 6 oz coarsely chopped premium chocolate bar, 1 teaspoon instant coffee, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • In a separate large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment) combine eggs, sugar, and salt. Beat on high speed until mixture has doubled in volume (this will take about 5 minutes with a hand mixer or 1-2 minutes with a stand mixer).
      4 large eggs, 1 cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
    • With mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle melted chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Once all chocolate has been added, increase mixer speed and stir until completely combined.
    • Sift cocoa powder over batter and use a spatula to fold completely into batter.
      ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
    • Pour batter into prepared springform pan and transfer to 325F (160C) oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Edges should look baked but center may seem jiggly still.
    • Allow to cool completely at room temperature then transfer to refrigerator to chill for another 6 hours.
    • If desired, before serving top with chocolate ganache that has been allowed to cool for at least 15 minutes after preparing.
      1 batch chocolate ganache
    • To slice, run a knife under very hot water then dry off the knife and use hot blade to slice cake. In addition to the ganache, enjoy topped with berries and whipped cream, if desired.
      homemade whipped cream

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice (with ganache) | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 528IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle

      August 29, 2022 at 10:54 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! I made this with vegan butter and with Guittard SANTร‰ 72% Baking Chips with Coconut Sugar. It came out perfect! Even my dairy eating husband loved it. So, for anyone dairy free out there, it does work great with vegan butter!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        August 29, 2022 at 5:26 pm

        Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know how it turned out with those substitutions, Michelle โค๏ธ

        Reply
    2. pat

      June 17, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      Hi
      Love this cake but it has fallen to the width of about two cookies although the sides are fine. Did I beat the eggs too much? Not in the oven long enough? I realize a small sink is acceptable but today it has really fallen. It was in the oven for 25 minutes and didn’t juggle in the center so I took it out. I used a toothpick to test and it didn’t appear cooked enough? HELP I am willing to make it again today as I have to take it to a birthday party tomorrow. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        June 22, 2022 at 9:47 am

        Hi Pat! We’re so sorry your cake didn’t turn out as expected. It sounds like you may not have baked it long enough; we recommend baking for 30-35 minutes ๐Ÿ™

        Reply
    3. Christina

      December 06, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      HOLY MOLY! This came out insanely delicious. Based off of Samโ€™s help/suggestion, I used unsweetened chocolate due to lack of bittersweet availability. I also used the Chocolate Bundt Cake icing recipe (halved) on top instead of the ganache (just because itโ€™s an insanely amazing icing). Itโ€™s all just amazing! These recipes never fail!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 07, 2021 at 8:51 pm

        I’m so happy to hear this, Christina! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Kimberly

      November 22, 2021 at 10:06 pm

      This looks so delicious! I know this is an older post, but do you think this would work in mini Bundt pans if sprayed well?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 23, 2021 at 9:23 pm

        Hi Kimberly! I honestly don’t know how it will work. It could work but I’m just not sure because I haven’t tried it.

        Reply
        • Kimberly Davis

          November 29, 2021 at 5:25 pm

          I tried it and it was a success for the most part! My plan was to use my Bak-Klene spray, but then I realized the wheat in the spray would make my cakes not be gluten-free. I do the baking for my church’s coffee shop and was looking for a good gluten-free recipe, so that part was important to me. I ended up using an avocado oil spray and dusting it with cocoa powder. One batch of this recipe gave me 12 mini Bundts using the Wilton’s Mega pan. The other thing I wasn’t sure about was how long to wait before turning the Bundts out of the pan. I let them cool for about 5 minutes, then turned them out onto a cooling rack covered with parchment paper. Out of the 24 Bundts I made, I only had 3 that didn’t come out cleanly enough to sell in the shop. They were perfect for taste-testing though, and MAN were they delicious!!! I followed the cake recipe exactly, then made a dark chocolate ganache to dip the tops of my Bundts in and pipe into the wells of all the cakes. I put them in the shop yesterday with some spiced eggnog cupcakes and Biscoff cranberry cinnamon cheesecake bars. These flourless chocolate mini Bundt cakes were the only items to sell out! Thanks for the great recipe!

        • Sam

          November 30, 2021 at 10:17 am

          I’m so glad they turned out! Thank you so much for the feedback. ๐Ÿ™‚

      • Elizabeth Fonda

        February 18, 2022 at 6:14 pm

        5 stars
        Third time making this โค๏ธ

        Reply
    5. elizabeth sigurdson

      November 19, 2021 at 6:05 am

      Hi Sam

      I am having surgery the week before Christmas – so, I’m looking for dessert recipes that I can make ahead of time and put in the freezer… can I freeze this cake?

      Elizabeth

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 19, 2021 at 12:46 pm

        Hi Elizabeth! I haven’t personally tried it, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. Heather

      July 06, 2021 at 1:42 pm

      This is the best cake I have ever had the pleasure of making. I could eat this all by myself, I am sure! The flavour is incredible, the texture is such a pleasant surprise..sooooooo enjoyed by all my family. Incredible! Canโ€™t say enoughโ€ฆthank you!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 06, 2021 at 1:48 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Heather! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Debbie

      March 31, 2021 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      My Family LOVES this cake. I now make it all the time and my kids ask for it for their birthday cake. so easy and so good. Only need a small piece since it is so rich and delightful!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 31, 2021 at 10:27 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoys it so much, Debbie! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Kate

      March 23, 2021 at 5:12 pm

      Could I add some boozy prunes to this cake?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 24, 2021 at 1:47 pm

        Hi Kate! I’ve never tried it but I think it could work. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    9. Corin Hale

      February 16, 2021 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      so yummy!

      Reply
    10. Cori Sessions

      January 21, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      Can this cake be baked in a 9″ springform pan? If so, how long should it bake for?

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 21, 2021 at 9:42 pm

        Sure thing! The bake time will be a little less. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say exactly how long to bake it.

        Reply
      • Lori

        February 05, 2021 at 11:40 am

        Can I use chocolate chips instead?

        Reply
        • Sam

          February 05, 2021 at 3:50 pm

          That should be fine, enjoy ๐Ÿ™‚

    11. Melanie

      January 14, 2021 at 3:44 pm

      I was wondering what size spring form pan you are using. I don’t have one and need to figure out the volume so I can use one of the pans that I have.

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 14, 2021 at 9:06 pm

        Hi Melanie! I use an 8″ springform pan. I typically say what size pan to use early in the instructions. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    12. Patti

      September 06, 2020 at 6:21 pm

      Can you use a sugar substitute instead of regular sugar?

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 06, 2020 at 10:03 pm

        Hi Patti! I haven’t tried it but I think it could work here. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Melanie

        November 13, 2020 at 8:54 am

        I’ve used Swerve and it works!

        Reply
    13. Lisa

      July 12, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      Hi, that recipe for chocolate flourless cake looks so mouthwatering! Can’t wait to make it ๐Ÿ™‚ I wanted to know if I can use salted butter? I don’t have any unsalted butter in stock.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 13, 2020 at 9:44 pm

        Hi Lisa! You can use salted butter here, just omit the salt. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Christina

        November 29, 2021 at 8:34 pm

        Question! For the chocolate, can you use unsweetened or semi sweet? Due to nut allergies, we canโ€™t use the bittersweet brand thatโ€™s available (since itโ€™s the same machinery)!

        Reply
        • Sam

          November 30, 2021 at 10:13 am

          Hi Christina! The unsweetened will work here. ๐Ÿ™‚

    14. Evelyn

      June 16, 2020 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      Tried this recipe on my first attempt at a flourless chocolate cake. It was delicious! And the fresh whipped cream is a MUST. Thought of making the ganache but am glad I didnโ€™t. It was super chocolatey as is and not necessary. After comparing to other recipes I added brewed coffee because I didnโ€™t have instant and thankfully it worked just fine.

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 17, 2020 at 10:40 am

        I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Evelyn! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    15. Kandy

      June 16, 2020 at 6:29 pm

      5 stars
      Is like the flourless chocolate cake at the Contemporary Resort Walt Disney World

      Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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