This simple and easy flourless chocolate cake is the best! Dense and decadent, every bite comes alive with rich chocolate flavor. It’s amazing. It was the best thing I have ever tasted.

Imagine your favorite chocolate bar made into a moist, rich cake. That’s precisely what you will get with this cake. If you like the chocolate you put into it, you will love the cake.

Whether you are gluten-free or not, you should try this flourless chocolate cake. Its texture is unlike any other cake I’ve ever had, more like a dense brownie than a traditional light and airy cake – and that’s the main thing I love about it!

Why You’ll Love This Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Made with simple ingredients: This simple recipe requires no special ingredients. You probably have everything you need already in your pantry! If not, a quick trip to your local grocery store will provide the rest.

Easy to make: This recipe comes together in just a few simple steps. It’s easy and quick. There is no gluten-free flour to mess around with, and you don’t have to ice and decorate it after it’s baked.

Crowd pleaser: There’s a lot to love about this easy cake. Its rich chocolate flavor and moist, dense texture make it a perennial crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients 

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements.

Chocolate: Note that your final cake will taste exactly like the chocolate that you use. I used a pound of Hershey bars (milk chocolate) and adored the final product. I have also tried using half milk and half dark chocolate, and I was less than pleased with the final product.

Unsalted butter: I always use unsalted butter in baking. Melt it with the chocolate to make a smooth, rich “batter” before adding the egg yolks.

Vinegar: This is not actually in the cake, but you need a little bit to wipe the bowl clean that you’ll use to whip the egg whites. The egg whites will only whip properly if the bowl is entirely free of oils or residue.

Eggs: The eggs turn your melted chocolate into a cake. You will use the yolks and the whites, but you’ll need to separate them and use them at different times.

Equipment

Double boiler: There are other methods to melt chocolate, but a double boiler (a medium-sized pan of water with a smaller pan floating in it – you can buy a double boiler or stack two similarly sized pans) is the most reliable method and least likely to burn your chocolate. The water in the larger pan boils and melts the chocolate slowly and evenly at a consistent 212ºF (the boiling water temperature will never get hotter than this). If you don’t use a double boiler, it is very easy to burn the chocolate. Burnt chocolate is grainy, hard, and usually smells terrible. There’s no way to fix burnt chocolate; you must throw it away and start over.

Parchment paper: This cake is dense and moist and tends to stick to the pan. Cutting a circle of parchment paper to place on the bottom of the pan will help it to release more easily after baking.

Springform pan: This is what you’ll bake the cake in. I like a springform pan for this cake because removing the cake from the pan is easier. The baked cake is dense and moist and difficult to remove from a traditional cake pan. I used a 9-inch springform pan in my photos below. If you want your cake to be thicker, use a smaller pan. If you do this, you may need to adjust the cooking time, as a thicker cake will require more time in the oven.

Egg separator: I use an egg separator to remove the egg whites from the yolks. Use what you know if you have another method that works for you.

Paper towel: Wipe your bowl with vinegar to ensure no residue prevents your egg whites from whipping properly. You must do this to avoid having runny egg whites and no cake.

Handheld electric or stand mixer: Whip the egg whites into stiff peaks. (More on what that means below.) If you try to do this by hand, your arms will be so tired that you’ll think they are falling off, and the egg whites will likely not become stiff enough. You need to use an electric mixer; a handheld mixer is best.

Silicone or rubber spatula: This folds the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

Wire rack: This allows air to circulate around the springform pan on all sides so that the cake cools more quickly than if you set it straight on the counter or stovetop to cool.

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Melt the butter in the microwave. Chop the chocolate and add to a double boiler, then pour melted butter on top.

Heat the butter and chocolate until the mixture is smooth, stirring often.

While the chocolate and butter mixture is cooling, cut a circle of parchment paper the same size as the bottom of the springform pan. Butter the bottom and sides of your springform pan; line with a parchment circle, then butter the parchment. This is an important step!

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two medium bowls.

Wipe a large glass or metal bowl with a paper towel soaked in white vinegar. Doing so ensures no grease in the bowl before adding your egg whites. The egg whites will not whip into peaks if there’s any grease in the bowl.

Use an electric or stand mixer to beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. That means when you pull the beater out of the egg whites, the little mountain that forms holds its shape and does not fall over. (Do not over-whip, or the cake will be dry.) 

With the same beater, beat the egg yolks until they’re frothy. 

Add the egg yolks to the cooled melted chocolate and mix well.

Fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with the remaining two-thirds. Carefully fold until no white remains; be careful not to deflate the batter.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. The batter should fill the pan ¾ of the way.

Bake at 375ºF for about 25 minutes. The top of the cake will look similar to a brownie, and the center of the cake will still be jiggly when the cake is fully cooked. Observe the cake to ensure that you take it out of the oven when the edges start separating from the sides of the springform pan. A flourless chocolate cake is unpleasant if overbaked, so watch it carefully.

Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then un-mold. For best results, chill for 4-6 hours before serving.

Cook’s Tips

Gently tap the cake pan on the counter 2-3 times before putting it in the oven. This will release any air bubbles that might have formed when you poured the cake batter in.

Do not add sugar to this recipe! It will be grainy and unpleasant. If you want a sweeter cake, use sweeter chocolate (such as milk chocolate, which I prefer).

This cake can be served chilled or at room temperature. It needs time to rest and cool before serving. I recommend letting it cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes and then chilling for 4-6 hours before serving.

Substitutions 

This cake only has three ingredients, so there’s little to substitute. You can use whatever chocolate you like to make the cake but be warned that the finished cake will taste exactly like the chocolate you use. So, if you go for bitter dark chocolate, your cake will also be bitter.

You could use salted butter instead of unsalted without impacting the finished cake.

Variations 

Lower calorie: You can use low-sugar or sugar-free chocolate to lower the cake’s calorie and carb content.

Add nuts: I love cakes with nuts; this flourless chocolate cake is no exception. Add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for a nice crunch in the finished cake.

Add coffee: I don’t usually have coffee in the house, but I know from experience that it makes chocolate taste even better. So, if you’re feeling adventurous, add 2-4 tablespoons of liquid coffee or one teaspoon of espresso powder to the melted chocolate.

Add vanilla: I don’t think milk chocolate needs vanilla. However, if you’re using a darker or more bitter chocolate, add a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract to the melted chocolate.

Add orange zest: I love chocolate and orange together, so sometimes, I zest a whole orange and throw that in with the melted chocolate.

Add spices: For a slightly different flavor, add one teaspoon of cinnamon or a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the melted chocolate.

Add liqueur: You could add a splash of your favorite liqueur to the melted chocolate. Kahlua, Chambord, or Bailey’s would be tasty!

Bake in a smaller pan: If you want your cake to be thicker than mine, use a smaller springform pan, such as a six-inch pan. Remember that your cake will need additional time to bake, so remove it from the oven when the edges have just started pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Storage 

To store: Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days. 

To freeze: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, then store it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before serving.

Serving Suggestions 

This cake is lovely, just as written, but here are some additional serving suggestions that you might enjoy:

You can sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar, as I have done here.

You can make chocolate ganache and pour it over the cooled cake. Note that you should use the same chocolate for the ganache you used to make the cake.

Add a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream or a dollop of real whipped cream to your cake. 

You could drizzle the cake with homemade caramel sauce. To make some, mix one packed cup of dark brown sugar, ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan. Whisk gently and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before drizzling over your cake.

Flourless Chocolate Cake FAQs 

More Gluten-Free Cakes

• Gluten-free chocolate cherry cake
• Gluten-free vanilla coconut flour cake
• Gluten-free apple cake
• Gluten-free gingerbread apple cake
• Gluten-free oatmeal cake
• Gluten-free chocolate chip brownie cheesecake

This article originally appeared on Pink When.