Quick Summary
This easy Flourless Chocolate Cake with a silky chocolate ganache glaze is the BEST chocolate cake recipe. It is rich, decadent, and the perfect dessert for any celebration. The cake is gluten-free and super decadent.
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Are you guys ready for this Flourless Chocolate Cake? It is 100% decadent and worth every single bite. If you are a chocolate lover, you are going to fall in love with this rich chocolate cake after one bite. It is so rich you probably only need a bite or two, but it’s SO good you will end up eating the entire piece…and you might even want another piece if you are like me.
And the best part? It is SO easy to make. It is a one layer cake topped with silky chocolate ganache. So there are no fussy layers, you don’t need special cake tools, and the decorating is very minimal.
I am normally not a big cake person, I am a cookie gal, but this cake from King Arthur Flour is my kind of cake! I make it all of the time.
The Best Flourless Chocolate Cake
I love this cake because it is SO easy to make and tastes SO gourmet. You guys are going to die when you make this cake because it tastes like a fancy restaurant or bakery dessert but it’s SO easy! Like almost as easy as a box mix. For reals. It is made in ONE bowl and you don’t need a mixer! So not only will you love the cake, but you will love the easy clean up too!
The ingredients are standard ingredients, nothing crazy. I bet you have them all in your kitchen right now! The flourless chocolate cake is made of:
- chocolate
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- salt
- vanilla extract
- cocoa powder
Simple! I also add a chocolate ganache glaze to the cake because you can never have too much chocolate, but that is easy too. You only need chocolate and heavy cream.
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Bake the cake in an 8-inch round cake pan. Make sure you grease the pan with nonstick cooking AND line it with parchment paper. I also grease the parchment paper after it goes in the pan. You don’t want the cake to stick.
- Make sure you use the best chocolate for the recipe so you get the best chocolate flavor. You can use chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate.
- I use semi-sweet chocolate but if you like darker chocolate, bittersweet would work well too.
- I use Dutch process cocoa because it gives the cake a deep, chocolate flavor.
- I melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, but you can melt it on low in a pan using the stove top.
- Don’t over bake the cake. You want it to be nice and fudgy. It is done when the center reads 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the chocolate ganache glaze.
- After the cake is glazed, let the glaze set up before cutting. I like to put it in the refrigerator for a few hours so the glaze can set up.
- Serve the cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh raspberries. We also like to serve whipped cream or ice cream on the side balance out the rich chocolate cake.
Is this flourless chocolate cake gluten-free? YES, there is no flour in the recipe. And don’t let the gluten-free part scare you if you normally don’t do gluten-free, this seriously is the BEST chocolate cake. I can’t say it enough.
This easy one bowl chocolate cake is dense, fudgy, chocolaty, and OH SO DIVINE! It is the perfect dessert for any occasion-birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Passover because there is no flour, really any holiday or any day!
Whenever you are craving chocolate like mad, make THIS cake. It will WOW you! And I love serving this cake when we entertain because it is easy to make, pretty to serve, and everyone loves it! You can’t go wrong with this cake. Make it and you will fall in love too!
How to Store
You can store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you topped the cake with fresh fruit, remove it so the cake doesn’t get soggy.
You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
- Peanut Butter Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Easy Chocolate Cake
- Strawberry Chocolate Cake
- Peppermint Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- For the chocolate ganache:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-Inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the bottom of the pan. Place it in the bottom of the pan and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- To make the cake, put the chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the butter is melted and the chips are soft, about one minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. If you need to reheat, do for 10 seconds at a time and stir.
- Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
- Add the eggs and stir until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 25 minutes or until the cake has a thin crust on the top and the center registers 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Let the cake cool on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a butter knife and carefully turn it upside down onto a cake plate or serving plate. The bottom of the cake will now be the top of the cake. Let the cake cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. Combine the chocolate and cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is very hot so it will melt the chocolate. I always start with 30 seconds and check it. It might take longer, it just depends on your microwave. Remove from the microwave, and stir until the the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.
- Spread the chocolate ganache glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let the glaze set up for a few hours before cutting and serving the cake. I always put it in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
- Cut the cake into slices and serve with powdered sugar and raspberries, if desired. This cake is also great with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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In this flourless cake recipe, can egg substitute be used?
I haven’t tried it.
I get compliments every single time I make this! My gluten-free friends are especially fond of it. COmes outperfectly every time.
I’m not great in the kitchen, but this was surprisingly simple to make! It is so rich and delicious my only concern is how frequently I will want to make this now. 🙂
Ha! It is TOO good:)
Can I make this a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge? Thanks!
Yes! Enjoy!
Will heavy whipping cream work as a substitute to the heavy cream for the ganache?
Sure, if that is what you have, it should be fine.
So far so good! Wondering if I can use melted Hershey bars for the chips in the ganache? Thanks!
Hi, if I only have a 9 inch baking pan, how long should I cook the cake for? And do I need to create a steam oven or cook in water bath? (Other recipes recommend this)
Thanks!
Dawn
I would check at 18 minutes to be safe. I never do a water bath for this cake.
This is amazing and so simple!
Love this recipe! Easy and clear instructions. I have a 9” pan so I followed the measurements provided by a commenter. Made it once as is, and added a bit of cayenne on my second attempt for our chili and chocolate potluck last year. Turned out great both times!
So glad you love the cake! It’s a good one!
I made this for my husband last year, and we LOVED it!! I would like to make it again for Valentine’s Day, and I thought it would be fun in a heart shaped pan! Would this recipe work the same way if I did that? What size heart pan should I use? Thanks for any suggestions!
I am so glad you loved the cake. A heart shape pan would be fun, just make sure it’s the same size, for an 8-inch cake.
Can I use Honey instead of sugar?
I haven’t tried honey in this recipe.
I don’t have Dutch processed cocoa, just Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder. Can that be used?
Yes, you can use regular unsweetened cocoa.
It was a hit! Will definitely make it again!
I made this for the first time for Valentines Day and it did not disappoint! I was a little worried since I’ve never made a flourless cake before but it turned out so delicious and was actually super simple to make! Thanks for sharing another great recipe! I’ll definitely be making this again when I’m craving chocolate.
WOW! Not only was this so delicious, it was extremely easy to make! Followed the recipe exactly, the only difference was I used regular
cocoa powder not Dutch process cocoa (not sure if there is even a difference). The ganache was also a nice finishing touch. I had a lot left over, so next time I’ll cut that in half. I put strawberries on top and served with homemade whipped cream and ice cream. So good, thank you!!!
I haven’t had very good luck with online recipes but this is delicious! Due to health reasons, I’m not only gluten-free but I can’t eat tapioca starch and some other things that are often used in gluten-free baked goods. So I’ve been on the lookout for something like this.
This is NOT one of those “oh, I guess it’s good enough, since I can’t have anything else.” No, this is SO good, all of my gluten-eating family loved it, too, and were fighting over who got the last bite. Even my daughter who normally doesn’t like chocolate, she liked this. Surprised the heck out of me.
Warning: It is RICH and filling. I couldn’t eat more than 4 or 5 bites and I’d get full.
Also, I used regular salted butter (because that’s what I had on hand), rather than the unsalted butter and 1/4 tsp of salt, and it turned out marvelous.
A question—how can you get 16 servings of this cake which has been made in an 8″ cake pan?
Are the pieces to be cut very thin?
The cake is VERY decadent and rich so you can cut it into small pieces, but if you want to serve big slices, go for it! I am always ok with a big piece of cake:)
delicious!
Can you make this recipe using an 8 inch springform pan?
Thx!
Yes, that will work!
I just made it with a spring foam pan and it came out nice.
This is my first time every baking anything like this, and generally I’m a terrible baker, but this recipe looked easy enough to do.
I was pleasantly surprised by the rich and decadent result! I accidentally over baked the cake by about 2 mins, which was unfortunate, but honestly not terrible. The edges were crispy but not burnt. I did not have a cake pan, so I cooked it in a loaf pan (the kind you make banana bread in), hence the over bake problem — it did not need a full 25 mins to bake, closer to 20 mins in my oven.
I only had heavy whipping cream, so I used that for the ganache. I did accidentally also drop the cake while transferring to a plate, so it broke apart, but the ganache helped cover the mess (mostly).
Thank you for sharing the recipe, and I will definitely be making it again soon!
Can I make this with milk chocolate chips instead of semi sweet?
Sure! Enjoy!
This cake was too good! Left off the ganache as I like it as is. Tasted like a delicious lava cake when still a bit warm from the oven. Thank you for the recipe!
Can I use a springform 9” so it’s not as high and I can cut nicer it is it better in an 8”
Also I gave very good 70% bittersweet chocolate and I worry it’s too dark
What do you think?
It’s a very special dinner
Thank you so much for this recipe. My son and I just made this cake for my husband’s 50th birthday. (We needed a flourless cake because we are observing the Jewish holiday, Passover…. so no flour for a week.)
We will make this all year! It was easy and delicious, just like the description claims. The only problem is that it is hard to stop eating it. My son said it’s better than “regular” chocolate cake.
Note: We used a different chocolate glaze frosting, since I can’t have heavy cream, and it was still amazing.
I highly recommend it!
Love❤️❤️❤️❤️
I have made this before and forgot how great this is. And easy! Definitely do half the ganache. Great recipe!
Super easy and very impressive!
Delicious
Hi,
Could I add orange zest to this batter?
Sure, I love chocolate and orange together!
A beautiful cake but the portion sizing is WILDLY inaccurate and does not reflect the photo of the cake nor the single slice in the photo. To make 16 portions, I tripled the recipe and used a 10.5inch cake tin which took longer to bake.
This was absolutely amazing! So rich and fudgy.
Would you freeze it with or without the ganache?
Thanks so much for sharing your amazing recipes.
I have done both and both work well. If you are serving it for a special occasion and want it to look super shiny, I would wait to add the ganache, but again, both will work.
Are you sure the inside should read 200 degrees? That seems like the outside would be burnt.
Could I use a spring form pan?
That’s the only pan I’ve used. 9”. It works perfectly.
Best cake. Hands down. I’ve made it a dozen times. Soooo eat and soooo tasty!
EASY!!
First time ever commenting on a recipe I made off the internet because usually I’m not overly impressed or I need to make a bunch of changes to make it really good.
I made this for my father’s birthday, followed the recipe exactly for the cake and then used milk chocolate for the ganache. It was perfect in every way and tasted like something you would find in a fancy restaurant. I’ll definitely be saving this recipe to make it again 🙂
Thank you for taking the time to comment. I am so glad you loved the cake!
Its too good loved it