Name: Flourless Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 6 h 40 min
Yield: 12 to 16 servings
Ingredients: 8 eggs, chilled; 16 ounces ( 453.59 g ) bittersweet chocolate, chopped; 1 cup ( 227 g ) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes; ¼ cup ( 59.25 ml ) brewed coffee, at room temperature; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; Powdered sugar

Rich, fudgy, and evenly sweet, this flourless chocolate cake will satisfy all of your chocolate cravings! Made with just 5 pantry staple ingredients, this naturally gluten-free cake is as straightforward to mix as it is to enjoy. With decadent slices that taste just like a chocolate truffle, there is so much to enjoy about this cake!

If there is one sweet we think we can all pretty much agree on its chocolate. Chocolate ice cream, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate pudding, chocolate cream pie, oh our! We don’t ever need an excuse to eat chocolate, but if there’s one readily available, then we're 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 we've ever made. Which is to say, it’s absolutely phenomenal.

What stands out

It just doesn’t get better than an ultra-rich slice of chocolate cake. We love that this is a naturally gluten-free recipe, making it the reliable dessert to make for friends and family who follow a gluten-free diet.

The cake also bakes and stores exceptionally well making it a great make-ahead cake. Also, it is much healthier than your traditional slice of chocolate cake since it does not contain added sugar. If these reasons weren’t enough to get you up and in the kitchen to make it right now, then we should also mention that it takes less than 15 minutes to prep and get in the oven!

What are you waiting for?? Let’s get baking!

Grab Your Ingredients

A short ingredient list – only five items! – means that you may well have everything you need for this in your pantry already.

This is all you need:

Eggs: Beating the eggs gives the cake rise, as well as structure.
Chocolate: Chopped bittersweet chocolate is recommended, but semisweet can work, too.
Butter: We’re using unsalted butter; it is melted with the chocolate for a fudgy chocolaty finish.
Coffee: Totally enhances the chocolate flavor.
Vanilla + Salt: Flavor!

A Note on the Coffee

We realize that coffee in baked goods is a 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 (we hear you, we're not a coffee drinker, either!), we implore you to please give it a try with the coffee. Your cake will NOT taste like coffee, but the coffee makes the chocolate flavor absolutely explode.

Serving Suggestions

You truly cannot go wrong with a plain slice of this heavenly flourless chocolate cake. But if you are looking for some different ways to dress it up and dish it out, try some of these serving suggestions:

Dust with powdered sugar
Top with a layer of chocolate ganache
Dollop with from-scratch whipped cream
Drizzle with salted caramel
Serve with a scoop of peanut butter ice cream
With a side of fresh fruit such as sliced strawberries or fresh raspberries

Baker notes

For a standby flourless chocolate cake, consider these notes:

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.
The Water Bath: If you’re thinking that a water bath is a bit fussy and annoying, we 100% agree with you! However, using a water bath in certain situations goes a 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!
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, we 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 we would start checking at the 18-minute mark just to be safe.

Storing and Making Ahead

We love how straightforward this cake is to make ahead. Since it needs a long chill time we always recommend making it the day before you plan on serving.

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.
Freezing Instructions: 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.)

Common questions

Watch the Recipe Video:

Photography by Ari Laing

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Yield: 12 to 16 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 6 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

8 eggs, chilled
16 ounces ( 453.59 g ) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup ( 227 g ) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
¼ cup ( 59.25 ml ) brewed coffee, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To Garnish

Powdered sugar

Method

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 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.

Notes

Chocolate: Bittersweet chocolate is also known as dark chocolate. For this particular cake, we 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. We 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, we 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, we 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 we 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.)

Photography by Ari Laing