Simple Flourless Chocolate Cake

Easy step by step photo instructions for this decadent flourless chocolate cake you can make with no special skills. Make this your special signature desert.

I love chocolate. I know I’m not alone, but actually, I love it more than you do… I have had this cake as the cap to great meals. I have had it cut into 1-inch squares at parties. It screams decadence; it screams chocolate, and it screams my name. If you have never had it, you must do this recipe today.

My Rating

A top recipe. So easy. So good. You must do this recipe. Check out the step by step photo instructions.

Recipe notes for Flourless Chocolate Cake

Now the story. Last week I got my year end “yearbook” from Cooks Country (part of Cooks Illustrated if you don’t know).  I like Cooks Country more than Cooks Illustrated anymore. It is just more me. A little more down to earth so to speak.  There in the April issue was their version. It was doable but still fussy plus seem to make more cake than I wanted.

Now the research started. Lots of choices. Lots of reading recipes. What I wanted:

• Not too big. Some of the recipes used a dozen eggs. Just massive. We are cooking for smaller households.
• Common ingredients. I want to do it without running around, and I want you to be able to do it easily at home.
• Not fussy. Picking at bubbles in the batter before baking is just not me. Lots of egg whipping going on. And water baths. I just don’t do that.
• Safe. There was actually one recipe cooked to only 140 degrees. Dangerous with eggs.
• Great taste and ratings.

I ended up with two great candidates. One at allrecipes.com and my winner at King Authur Flour. I love the ingredients, but I dummied down the instructions a little to my level, and I skipped the optional espresso powder which I would never have or use again. The expresso would kick up the chocolate a bit but use good chocolate, and you won’t need it. Now I love the results.

Preheat oven to 375.

Prepare an 8-inch cake pan with a round of parchment paper. Use the pan as a template and draw a circle and cut a bit smaller than the line. Coat the side of the pan with butter and dust with cocoa powder. Don’t bother with the bottom. Place parchment in the bottom of the pan.

Sift 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder. If you skip this, your cake may be a bit grainy.

Over very low heat, using a non-stick larger saucepan, melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter. While melting, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of salt if using unsalted butter only. Stir frequently until smooth. About 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add 3/4 cup sugar and mix quickly until minimal grainy. Add 3 eggs and mix well.

Finally, add 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. It will be thick.

Pour into prepared pan and bake until internal temperature of 200 or a little more. 22 minutes for me with a dark pan. It may be up to 25 minutes for a different pan. Please go by the temperature.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a spatula or dull knife.

Place your serving dish on the pan and flip over onto the plate. The bottom will be up, but that is ok. Remove parchment paper. Allow to cool to room temperature.

For the glaze, using a larger non-stick saucepan over very low heat, melt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup cream. Milk should be OK here, but use cream is available.

Pour into the center of the cake and spread to the edge smoothly. Some will drizzle down the side and look great. Cool for several hours before serving.

Do you want more recipes from 101 Cooking for Two? Sign up for the newsletter and get all posts delivered straight to your inbox!

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

4.6 from 10 votes

Simple Flourless Chocolate Cake

Easy step by step photo instructions for this decadent flourless chocolate cake you can make with no special skills.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Servings/Adjustment: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips - good quality
• 8 tablespoons butter - one stick
• 1/4 teaspoon salt - if using unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs - large
• 1/2 cup dutch cocoa powder - sifted

Glaze

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cream - milk should be ok but cream is better

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Prepare an 8-inch cake pan with a round of parchment paper. Use the pan as a template and draw a circle and cut a bit smaller than the line. Coat the side of the pan with butter and dust with cocoa powder. Don't bother with the bottom. Place parchment in the bottom of the pan.
• Sift 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder. If you skip this, your cake may be a bit grainy.
• Over very low heat, using a non-stick larger saucepan, melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter. While melting, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of salt if using unsalted butter only. Stir frequently until smooth. About 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat, add 3/4 cup sugar and mix quickly until minimally grainy. Add 3 eggs and mix well and finally add 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. It will be very thick.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake until internal temperature of 200 or a little more. 22 minutes for me with a dark pan. It may be up to 25 minutes for a different pan. Please go by the temperature.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a spatula or dull knife. Place your serving dish on the pan and flip over onto the plate. The bottom will be up, but that is ok. Remove parchment paper.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• For the glaze, using a larger non-stick saucepan over very low heat, melt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup cream. Milk should be OK here, but use cream is available.
• Pour into the center of the cake and spread to the edge smoothly. Some will drizzle down the side and look great. Cool for several hours before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Simple Flourless Chocolate Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 321 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 21g 32%

Saturated Fat 13g 65%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 88mg 29%

Sodium 23mg 1%

Potassium 83mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates 35g 12%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 29g

Protein 5g 10%

Vitamin A 9%

Vitamin C 0.1%

Calcium 2%

Iron 8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.

 

Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.