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Home » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes Recipes

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Published: Feb 3, 2023 by Natalie · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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This flourless chocolate cake is delicious, decadent and comes together easily!It’s made with just 7 ingredients and comes together without a mixer! It’s also naturally gluten free!

This flourless chocolate cake super fudgy and indulgent. It’s also naturally gluten free! This cake is easy yet special which makes it perfect for a weeknight treat or celebration dessert.

For more chocolate cake recipes, check out my Mini Chocolate Cake, Nutella and Peanut Butter Cake, and Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cake.

Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredients
  • Substitutions & Variations
  • Instructions
  • Expert Baking Tips
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Recipes You Will Love
  • Flourless Chocolate Cake

Why This Recipe Works

  • You’ll love the rich, fudgy center and perfect crispy yet tender crust!
  • You only need a couple bowls and an 8 inch cake pan to make this easy flourless cake recipe. The cake comes together by hand. No mixer needed!
  • This chocolate cake comes together in less than an hour!
  • It tastes like it came from a fancy bakery or restaurant.
  • It’s so easy to decorate! Just a a dusting of cocoa powder or powdered sugar. You can also top it with whipped cream, ganache, ice cream, fresh fruit. The list goes on!

Ingredients

  • Butter: Use unsalted butter. I recommend first browning the butter, but this is optional.
  • Chocolate: I prefer semisweet chocolate. Chocolate baking bars work best for this recipe. They melt better and more evenly than chocolate chips. I recommend semi-sweet. It is not as dark as dark or bittersweet and not as sweet as milk chocolate.
  • Eggs: Use 4 large room temperature eggs.
  • Sugar: I found that 3/4 cup is the perfect, just right amount.
  • Cocoa Powder: Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
  • Vanilla: Vanilla extract surprisingly brings out the chocolate flavor.
  • Salt: Salt also enhances the chocolatey flavor and rounds out some of the sweetness.

Substitutions & Variations

  • Feel free to swap out the semisweet chocolate for dark or bittersweet.
  • To enhance the chocolate flavor, add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder. It can usually be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
  • The chocolate ganache I use to top my Orange Cardamom Cake would definitely up the chocolate factor and make the cake even more of a showstopper.
  • Instead of a dusting of cocoa powder, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar.
  • If you want to go super indulgent, top the warm or room temperature cake with ice cream!
  • This cake is also delicious with a dollop of regular or chocolate whipped cream!

Instructions

Step 1: Chop the chocolate and place it in a large, heat proof mixing bowl. Set aside. 

Step 2: Next, brown the butter. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. When it starts to bubble, stir it constantly. It will start to foam. Continue stirring as you watch for it to turn a light, amber color and develop a nutty smell which should happen in about five minutes. Pour the brown butter over the chopped chocolate.

Step 3: Stir the chocolate and brown butter together until the chocolate has melted.

Step 4: Sift the cocoa into the butter and chocolate mixture.

Step 5: Whisk in the sugar and salt. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract. Make sure mixture is well mixed. 

Step 6: Pour mixture into an 8 inch cake pan or 8 inch springform pan greased and lined with parchment paper.

Step 7: Bake for 25-37 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Run a knife between the edge of the cake and the pan to loosen it. Remove cake from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Step 8: Top with chocolate whipped cream. Alternatively, you can top the cake with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder or serve it with ice cream.  

Hint: Make sure the scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the bits from the brown butter. 

Expert Baking Tips

  • Use a springform pan. I have made this cake in a regular 8 inch cake and in a springform pan. Both work, but the springform pan makes it a little easier to take the cake out of the pan.
  • Grease and line pan with parchment paper. Make sure to grease then line the pan with parchment paper to prevent it from sticking.
  • Run a knife along the edge of the pan. Whether you use a regular or springform pan, run a knife between the cake and the pan before removing it.
  • Use a hot knife. This cake is fudgy and can stick to your knife when you slice it. To get clean, sleek slices run a large, sharp knife under hot water or dunk it in a glass of hot water and wipe it dry. Make sure to wipe the knife clean in between slices and dip the knife in hot water in between each cut.

Recipe FAQs

What is flourless chocolate cake?

Flourless chocolate cake is cake made without flour. It has a rich, creamy flavor from melted chocolate, butter and whole eggs.

Is flourless chocolate cake gluten free?

Yes! It is naturally gluten free.

What does flourless chocolate cake taste like?

Flourless chocolate cake tastes chocolatey, rich and gooey and it has a light, crispy crust.

How do you store this cake?

Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze this cake in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.

More Recipes You Will Love

  • Chocolate cake topped with chocolate frosting and blueberries.
    Blueberry Chocolate Cake
  • Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake
  • A mini chocolate cake topped with ganache piped on top.
    Mini Chocolate Cake
  • Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

Did you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website? Please leave a 🌟star rating below and let me know how you enjoyed it in the 📝 comments below.

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Chocolate cake covered with cocoa powder on parchment paper.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Natalie
This easy flourless chocolate cake makes the best fudgy, rich treat! Gluten free and perfect for both weeknights and special occasions. 
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Cakes and Cupcakes
Cuisine American
Servings 10 servings
Calories 386 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter browned
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon natural cocoa

Instructions
 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

  • Butter then line with parchment paper the bottom of an 8" springform pan or the bottom of a round 8" cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
  • Chop the chocolate and place it in a large, heat proof mixing bowl. Set aside. 
  • Next, brown the butter. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally at first. Once begins to bubble and comes to a boil, stir it constantly. It will start to foam. Continue stirring as you watch for it to turn a light, amber color and develop a nutty smell which should happen in about five minutes. Pour the brown butter over the chopped chocolate. Make sure the scrape the bottom of the pan for all the bits. 
  • Stir the chocolate and brown butter together until the chocolate has melted. Sift the cocoa into the butter and chocolate mixture. Whisk in the sugar and salt. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract. Make sure mixture is well mixed. 
  • Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread evenly and bake for 25-37 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve warm or at room temperature. Top with chocolate whipped cream. Alternatively, you can top the cake with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder or serve it with ice cream.  

Chocolate Whipped Cream

  • For best results, chill the bowl and beaters or whisk attachment in the fridge or freezer for 15- 20 minutes before using. In the bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the whipping cream on high speed for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and pour the powdered sugar and cocoa in followed by the vanilla. Turn the mixer back up to high and continue mixing until you have medium to stiff peaks, about 3 more minutes.

Notes

Butter: I recommend browning the butter. Brown butter adds an extra layer of toasty, nutty flavor. To skip this step, simply melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second bursts. Stir well in between each interval. Continue until chocolate has melted. You could also place the chopped chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pot of simmering water to melt it. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water and be sure to stir occasionally as the mixture melts. 
Chocolate: Dark or bittersweet chocolate can be used in place of semisweet. Use good quality chocolate. I would not recommend chocolate chips. 
Espresso powder: Add an optional 1 1/2 teaspoons of espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor. 
Storage: Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze this cake in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 5gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 94mgPotassium: 222mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 803IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Let us know!Let us know how it was!
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Comments

  1. Johanna Lee

    March 31, 2023 at 3:10 am

    5 stars
    This was the chocolate cake I’ve been craving for, like, years! It was rich and moist, almost like a brownie in a cake. I personally dusted mine with icing sugar instead of cocoa. It was amazing!

    Reply
    • Natalie

      April 01, 2023 at 3:50 pm

      Thank you so much for making this cake and for taking the time to comment. I’m soooo happy you enjoyed it and that it satisfied your chocolate cake cravings! 🙂 Have a great weekend!

      Reply
  2. Sam

    March 18, 2021 at 7:17 pm

    5 stars
    I baked this cake because I was super curious to see what a flourless cake tastes like and wow. Was I pleasantly surprised. It’s light and moist and I didn’t feel guilty eating it with a cup of coffee.

    Reply
    • Natalie

      March 18, 2021 at 10:26 pm

      Thank you Sam! I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake!:)

      Reply

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I’m Natalie, the baker and photographer here at Parsley and Icing! Here you will find a collection of delicious and decadent dessert recipes made with fresh, from scratch ingredients! More About Natalie and Parsley and Icing

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