I perfected a Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe with just five ingredients and a surprising pantry hack that makes it astonishingly simple.

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I love a cake that looks decadent but is shockingly simple. I made this Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake because sometimes you need real chocolate, nothing fancy.

Using bittersweet chocolate and unsalted butter gives a deep, glossy crust and a silky, dense bite that makes people guess whats in it. Its rich but not precious, and it tends to spark a lot of curiosity.

This Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe sits perfectly in my Gf Desserts notes, the kind you bring to a party and secretly smile when someone tries to guess how many ingredients you used.

Ingredients

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Bittersweet chocolate: rich in antioxidants, gives deep cocoa flavor, adds fat and sweetness.
Unsalted butter: gives moistness and richness, mostly saturated fat, makes it velvety.
Granulated sugar: pure carbs, makes it sweet, no fiber, can spike your blood sugar.
Eggs: provide protein and structure, help set the cake, add moisture and richness.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: intense chocolate flavor, some fiber and antioxidants, very low sugar.

Ingredient Quantities

8 oz (225 g) bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Butter an 8 inch round pan well and line the bottom with parchment, then lightly dust the sides and parchment with some of the cocoa powder so the cake comes out easy.

2. Chop 8 oz bittersweet chocolate and cut 1/2 cup unsalted butter into pieces. Melt them together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Let cool a few minutes.

3. Put 3 large eggs and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. If you have time use a whisk or mixer and beat until pale and a bit thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes by hand or 4 to 6 with a mixer. Room temp eggs work best.

4. Temper the eggs by whisking a spoonful of the melted chocolate into them first so they dont seize, then whisk in the rest of the chocolate until uniform.

5. Sift 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder over the batter and gently fold with a spatula until no streaks remain. Fold, dont beat, you want it airy not dense.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan once or twice on the counter to release big air bubbles.

7. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. The edges should be set and the center still a little jiggly, not soupy.

8. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least an hour. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto a plate, remove parchment. Its easier to slice if chilled for 1 hour.

9. Dust with extra cocoa or powdered sugar before serving. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, and bring to room temp before eating for best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 375 F 190 C)
2. 8 inch round cake pan
3. Parchment paper
4. Heatproof bowl and small saucepan for melting chocolate over simmering water
5. Mixing bowl
6. Whisk or electric mixer, either works
7. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping
8. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the cocoa powder
9. Sharp knife and cutting board for chopping chocolate and trimming edges
10. Wire rack for cooling, plus measuring cups and spoons

FAQ

Can I swap the bittersweet chocolate for semisweet or milk chocolate?

Yes, semisweet works fine and keeps a rich chocolate flavor. Milk chocolate will make the cake noticeably sweeter and softer, so cut the sugar by a tablespoon or two if you use it. For best texture pick chocolate with at least 50 to 60% cocoa.

Can I make this dairy free or vegan?

Dairy free yes — use dairy free chocolate and vegan butter or coconut oil (coconut gives a slight flavor). Vegan no, not easily — the eggs are what set this cake. Replacing eggs needs a different technique, so skip that if you want this exact texture.

How do I know when the cake is done?

The top will be set and may crack, edges will pull away a bit, and the center should still have a slight jiggle but not be liquid. If it looks wet in the middle its underbaked, if its hard and dry you overbaked it.

Why did my cake sink or crack?

Cracks are normal for flourless cakes. Sinking usually means it was underbaked or cooled too fast. Also overwhipping eggs or folding too aggressively can cause collapse. Let it cool gradually, and avoid opening the oven too often while baking.

How should I store or freeze it?

Refrigerate covered for up to 4 to 5 days. To freeze, wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight then bring to room temp before serving for best texture.

Can I make this in a different pan or make it ahead?

Yes its fine to use an 8 or 9 inch springform or a small round pan. If you change pan size adjust bake time—smaller pan needs more time, larger less. You can bake a day ahead and chill, bring to room temp or warm slightly before serving.

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Bittersweet chocolate: swap for semisweet or 70% dark chocolate, same weight 8 oz (225 g). If you only have unsweetened baking chocolate add a little extra sugar to taste.
Unsalted butter: use melted coconut oil 1:1 by weight (about 115 g / 1/2 cup). Coconut gives a touch of flavor, for neutral taste use a mild vegetable oil instead.
Granulated sugar: replace with light brown sugar or coconut sugar 1:1 (same volume). If using honey or maple syrup use about 2/3 cup and reduce any other liquid by 2 to 3 tablespoons and bake a few minutes less.
Eggs: try aquafaba (3 tablespoons per egg so about 9 tablespoons total, whip until a bit frothy), or flax “eggs” (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water per egg so 3 tbsp flax + 9 tbsp water), or silken tofu puréed (1/4 cup per egg so about 3/4 cup). Texture will be a bit different but they work.

Pro Tips

1. Use good chocolate and chop it small so it melts smoothly. Cheap chips often have stabilizers and can go grainy, so if you can spend a bit more the texture will be so much better. If the melted mix looks too thick or grainy, stir in a tablespoon of warm cream or butter and it usually calms down.

2. Let the melted chocolate cool until just warm before you add it to the eggs, otherwise it can cook them and make a curdled mess. If it starts to seize while mixing, dont freak out, whisk in a little warm cream or a dab of butter and keep going.

3. Be gentle folding the cocoa in, stop as soon as no streaks remain. Big spatula, scoop from the bottom and fold up and over in three quarter turns, dont beat it or youll lose the airy texture that keeps it from getting dense.

4. Cool fully in the pan then chill an hour before slicing for the cleanest cuts, but bring slices back to room temp for best mouthfeel. If youre unsure about doneness, look for set edges and a slightly jiggly center or test with a toothpick it should come out with moist crumbs not wet batter.

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free) Recipe

Recipe by Louise Nightin

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe with just five ingredients and a surprising pantry hack that makes it astonishingly simple.

Servings

servings

Calories

337

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 375 F 190 C)
2. 8 inch round cake pan
3. Parchment paper
4. Heatproof bowl and small saucepan for melting chocolate over simmering water
5. Mixing bowl
6. Whisk or electric mixer, either works
7. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping
8. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the cocoa powder
9. Sharp knife and cutting board for chopping chocolate and trimming edges
10. Wire rack for cooling, plus measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

8 oz (225 g) bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Butter an 8 inch round pan well and line the bottom with parchment, then lightly dust the sides and parchment with some of the cocoa powder so the cake comes out easy.
Chop 8 oz bittersweet chocolate and cut 1/2 cup unsalted butter into pieces. Melt them together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Let cool a few minutes.
Put 3 large eggs and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. If you have time use a whisk or mixer and beat until pale and a bit thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes by hand or 4 to 6 with a mixer. Room temp eggs work best.
Temper the eggs by whisking a spoonful of the melted chocolate into them first so they dont seize, then whisk in the rest of the chocolate until uniform.
Sift 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder over the batter and gently fold with a spatula until no streaks remain. Fold, dont beat, you want it airy not dense.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and tap the pan once or twice on the counter to release big air bubbles.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. The edges should be set and the center still a little jiggly, not soupy.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least an hour. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto a plate, remove parchment. Its easier to slice if chilled for 1 hour.
Dust with extra cocoa or powdered sugar before serving. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days, and bring to room temp before eating for best texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.