This simple flourless chocolate cake recipe tastes like a massive chocolate truffle and is the best kind of decadent. Plus, it requires only five ingredients and can be prepped in just 15 minutes; a perfect make-ahead dessert for Valentine’s Day or your next special occasion when you want something delicious, chocolatey, and rich.
Welcome to the February BEB Bake-Along! Be sure to check below for details on how to join us in baking this luxurious chocolate cake this month!
Whether you believe in the holiday of love or not, I think there’s one thing we can all agree on… chocolate! I don’t ever need an excuse to eat chocolate, but if there’s one readily available, then I’m more than happy to take advantage of it. Flourless chocolate cake is made without – you guessed it! – flour, so it relies on whipped eggs to provide stability and structure to the cake.
This is, without a doubt, one of the richest, most indulgent desserts I’ve ever made. Which is to say, it’s absolutely phenomenal.
Grab Your Ingredients!
A very short ingredient list – only five items! – means that you may very well have everything you need for this in your pantry already. (I can’t possibly be the only person who hoards pounds of chocolate at a time, can I?)
This is all you need:
- Eggs
- Chocolate (dark is recommended, but semisweet can work, too)
- Butter
- Coffee totally enhances the chocolate flavor!
- Vanilla
A Note on the Coffee
I realize that coffee in baked goods is a very polarizing topic, so let’s lay everything out here.
If you need to avoid coffee for religious or dietary reasons, then you can replace it with water.
However, if you simply do not like coffee (I hear you, I’m not a coffee drinker, either!), I implore you to please give it a try with the coffee. Your cake will NOT taste like coffee, but the coffee does some magical mystical thing that makes the chocolate flavor absolutely explode.
Let’s Make the Flourless Chocolate Cake!
Preparing the cake is incredibly easy; there isn’t much in the way of prep time and it needs to chill overnight, which makes it a perfect make-ahead dessert.
There is one important step that I wanted to talk through…
The Water Bath
If you’re thinking that a water bath is a bit fussy and annoying, I 100% agree with you! However, using a water bath in certain situations goes a really long way in ensuring that the mixture is heated evenly, which creates that ultra-creamy texture. And that’s exactly what we need for this cake, so let’s plow forward with the water bath!
Success Tips!
For the best flourless chocolate cake, consider these notes:
- Chocolate: Bittersweet chocolate is also known as dark chocolate. For this particular cake, I recommend using chocolate with around a 60% cacao percentage. If you prefer your cake a little more bitter, go higher; if you prefer it a little more sweet, then you can go lower. I do not recommend using milk chocolate in this particular recipe, as it would be much too sweet.
- Do NOT add sugar! You might be tempted to add sugar to the recipe to sweeten it up, but it will alter the texture of the cake; instead adjust the chocolate you use, as noted above.
- Coffee: Coffee does a phenomenal job of enhancing the flavor of chocolate. You cannot taste the coffee in the finished product, so even if you dislike drinking coffee, I recommend you use it here. If you cannot drink coffee for medical, religious, or other reasons, you can substitute water.
- Springform Pan: This recipe calls for an 8-inch springform pan, which is less common than its 9-inch cousin. If you don’t have one, I recommend this one.
- Converting to 9-inch: If you do not have an 8-inch pan and prefer not to purchase one, you can still make this recipe in a 9-inch springform pan. Be aware that it will NOT fit inside of a 9×13-inch baking pan for the water bath and you will need to use something larger, like a roasting pan. The cake takes about the same amount of time to bake, but I would start checking at the 18-minute mark just to be safe.
- Storage: This cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you store it in the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This cake can be made up to one day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. The baked and cooled cake freezes exceptionally well. Wrap it tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe zipper bag. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight. (You can also freeze individual slices using the same instructions.)
The cake, once chilled, tastes like a giant, fudgy chocolate truffle. It’s dense, rich, creamy and bursting with chocolate flavor. This cake is definitely one that will make the chocolate purists rejoice.
So whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or not, do make time one of these days to whip up this cake. Consider it a gift to yourself :)
More Decadent Chocolate Desserts
If rich is what you’re looking for, these recipes are sure to satisfy…
- Chocolate Souffle
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Chocolate Pots de Creme
- Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Dark Chocolate Mousse
Flourless Chocolate Cake
This rich flourless chocolate cake is a chocolate lover’s dream!
- 8 eggs (chilled)
- 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cut into small cubes)
- ¼ cup brewed coffee (at room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To Garnish
- Powdered sugar
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 8-inch springform pan, line the bottom and sides with parchment, then grease the parchment. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double layer of aluminum foil and place in a 9×13-inch pan. Put a small pot of water on to boil.
- Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs on medium speed until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, place the chocolate, butter and coffee in a large, heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth and very warm (the mixture should register 115 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla extract.
- Using a large rubber spatula, fold one-third of the eggs into the chocolate mixture until just a few streaks of egg are visible. Add the remaining eggs in two more additions, folding until the mixture is totally combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and smooth the top. Pour enough boiling water into the 9×13-inch pan to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cake has risen slightly, the edges are just beginning to set and a thin glaze (like a brownie crust) has formed on the surface, about 22 to 25 minutes. The cake should register 140 degrees on a digital thermometer.
- Remove the cake from the water bath and set on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight (the cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 days).
-
About 30 minutes before serving, run a thin knife between the cake and sides of the pan; remove the sides of the pan. Place the cake on a serving platter, dust with powdered sugar and serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, if desired.
- Chocolate: Bittersweet chocolate is also known as dark chocolate. For this particular cake, I recommend using chocolate with around a 60% cacao percentage. If you prefer your cake a little more bitter, go higher; if you prefer it a little more sweet, then you can go lower. I do not recommend using milk chocolate in this particular recipe, as it would be much too sweet.
- Do NOT add sugar! You might be tempted to add sugar to the recipe to sweeten it up, but it will alter the texture of the cake; instead adjust the chocolate you use, as noted above.
- Coffee: Coffee does a phenomenal job of enhancing the flavor of chocolate. You cannot taste the coffee in the finished product, so even if you dislike drinking coffee, I recommend you use it here. If you cannot drink coffee for medical, religious, or other reasons, you can substitute water.
- Springform Pan: This recipe calls for an 8-inch springform pan, which is less common than its 9-inch cousin. If you don’t have one, I recommend this one.
- Converting to 9-inch: If you do not have an 8-inch pan and prefer not to purchase one, you can still make this recipe in a 9-inch springform pan. Be aware that it will NOT fit inside of a 9×13-inch baking pan for the water bath and you will need to use something larger, like a roasting pan. The cake takes about the same amount of time to bake, but I would start checking at the 18-minute mark just to be safe.
- Storage: This cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you store it in the refrigerator, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This cake can be made up to one day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. The baked and cooled cake freezes exceptionally well. Wrap it tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe zipper bag. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight. (You can also freeze individual slices using the same instructions.)
Nutritional values are based on one serving
How to Join the BEB Bake-Along
- Make the Flourless Chocolate Cake. It would make a great Valentine’s dessert if you’re looking for one!
- Share Your Photo! Snap a picture of your finished cake and upload it to Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #bebbakealong and tagging @thebrowneyedbaker. You can also upload it to the BEB Facebook group or email me!
Subscribe! Sign up for BEB Bake-Along emails and be alerted as soon as one is published, and receive 2-3 additional emails throughout the month to help you troubleshoot the recipe and cheer you on as you bake!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in February 2013 and has since been updated with new photos, a helpful recipe video, and clearer recipe instructions.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
The post Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe appeared first on Brown Eyed Baker.
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