This rich, decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake is every chocolate lover’s dream! The absence of flour makes this cake fudgy and so tender! This is a no-fuss, easy chocolate cake that will impress everyone.
If you’re looking for tasty cake recipes, be sure to check out my favorite Blueberry Cake, Carrot Cake Bread, Oatmeal Cake with Vanilla Sauce, and this amazing Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!
Why This Recipe Works
Fudgy Perfection: This flourless chocolate cake comes out with a chocolate cake like texture around the edges and a more fudgy, soft texture in the center. The texture of the cake is absolute perfection. It creates a moist, rich chocolate cake that you won’t be able to get enough of!
Gluten-free: Generally, making delicious baked confections gluten-free is kind of difficult. But this cake is intentionally gluten-free and that is what gives it the amazingly moist texture. For an absolutely dreamy gluten-free dessert, this should be your go-to!
Dreamy Chocolate Flavor: I use a high quality cocoa powder in this recipe to give the cake it’s dreamy chocolate flavor. Choose your favorite high quality, unsweetened cocoa powder. That is all you will need for this flourless chocolate cake to come out perfect!
Ingredients
This flourless cake recipe is made simple with minimal ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter: This is the magic ingredient that makes this cake so moist. You can use either salted or unsalted butter, it is totally up to you.
- Sugar: Sugar will be mixed with the melted butter for a touch of sweetness.
- Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder is what lends this cake it’s chocolatey flavor! High quality, unsweetened cocoa powder is best here.
- Vanilla: A bit of vanilla adds a ton of flavor.
- Eggs: Eggs are needed to help provide structure and rise to the cake.
- Almond Flour: Lastly, almond flour is added for some more structure. Using almond flour keeps this dessert gluten-free!
Here’s How to Make It
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 and line both the bottom and sides of an 8 inch round cake tin (solid, not spring form) with baking parchment. (not pictured)
- Melt Butter: On the stove over low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. (photos 1-2)
- Stir in Eggs: Once the mixture is cool to touch, stir in the eggs one by one to make a smooth batter. Fold in the almond flour, and scrape the mixture into the prepared tin. (photos 3-4)
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is slightly cracked around the edges, and the middle is still soft, but set. If the middle feels raw at 25 minutes, return it to the oven and you’ll be surprised at the difference an extra 5 minutes makes! (not pictured)
- Cool & Serve: Cool the cake in the tin for 20 minutes before removing the baking parchment and turning it out onto a serving dish to finish cooling. Don’t allow it to cool completely in the tin or it will be impossible to get out without breaking it! Dust generously with powdered sugar or cocoa powder (or a mixture of both) before serving. Enjoy! (see below)
Expert Tips
- Make sure to let the butter cool before adding the eggs! If you add the eggs to a hot butter mixture, you run the risk of cooking the eggs and they will turn into scrambled eggs in the mixture. If this happens, unfortunately the only thing you can do is start over.
- Measure the almond flour in ounces! While this step is a bit tedious, you will want to use a scale to measure out 3.5 ounces of almond flour for this flourless chocolate cake. This ensures a precise measurement for a truffle-like middle and moist edge.
- Top the cake off with a dollop of creme fraiche and fresh raspberries for an absolutely divine combination of flavors!
- Don’t over bake it! You might be tempted to over bake this cake since the middle will be soft. Avoid over baking or else you will get a dry, tough cake. If you are doubting if your flourless chocolate cake is done, stick a toothpick in the middle. A few moist crumbs should come off on the toothpick but not wet batter. If you see wet batter, pop it in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the cake for up to 4 months. Let the cake thaw in the fridge when you are ready to eat it!
You can use any kind of unsweetened cocoa powder here. Dutch process cocoa would work great, or you can use any high quality cocoa powder. Generally, generic brands are not as high of quality and you will get a less rich flavor.
More Decadent Desserts to Try
- Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
- Salted Caramel Brownies
- Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp butter
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 3.5 oz almond flour
- powdered sugar or more cocoa powder - for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line both the bottom and sides of an 8 inch round cake in (solid, not spring form) with baking parchment.
- On the stove over low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, cocoa and vanilla.
- Once the mixture is cool to touch, stir in the eggs one by one to make a smooth batter. Fold in the almond flour, and scrape the mixture into the prepared tin.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is slightly cracked around the edges, and the middle is still soft, but set. If the middle feels raw at 25 minutes, return it to the oven and you'll be surprised at the difference an extra 5 minutes makes!
- Cool the cake in the tin for 20 minutes before removing the baking parchment and turning it out onto a serving dish to finish cooking. Don't allow it to cool completely in the tin or it will be impossible to get it out without breaking it. Dust generously with powdered sugar or cocoa powder before serving.
Notes
- I used unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe (Trader Joe’s make a great one) but as there are no raising agents in this cake you can easily substitute Dutch Process cocoa powder instead.
- The almond flour is specifically measured in ounces, not cups as you need an accurate amount to ensure the cake cooks property. Too little and the cake won’t hold together and the truffle-like middle will not set enough to slice; too much and the outside of the cake will be chewy and dry. I made this recipe with Kirkland Signature Almond Flour.
These look amazing! I have been experimenting with homemade lentil flour and may have to give this recipe a try with my new-found gluten-free flour 🙂
Bahaha – I FEEL for you, sister. I’ve got my childhood dresser in our bedroom right now. It used to be sponge painted, but when I took it with me to my adult house, I gave it a coat of brown paint and new knobs and it was a PROJECT that took way too much time. So where’d you end up getting your new matching dressers?? Also – this cake – you’re making my sweet tooth drool! These photos are so beautiful – you are mighty talented, my friend.
Would this recipe work with 1 cup almond meal in place of processed almonds?
Yep – you can sub out the almonds for an equal amount of almond meal.
I am currently trying to eat clean as possible and saw this recipe. Now I have something to go to when my chocolate craving hits and need to satisfy it. Question on turning almonds into flour using the food processor. I am using my 11 cup food processor and I pulse and pulse and pulse and 1/2 my mixture turns into flour and the other half starts getting too oily and trys to start turning into butter / paste. What am I doing wrong? Is my processor too big should it be smaller? Now I am not using Diamond almonds I am using a different brand whole almonds cause I get them in bulk. I would like to know how to do this on my own instead of using almond meal if at all possible.
Is it possible to make this as one bigger cake instead of 4 separate little ones?
Thanks!
Hi Maya, I haven’t tried it but it would probably work.