Decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake

A rich, delicious chocolate dessert doesn’t have to be complicated! I found that to be true when I recently wanted a cake for a special occasion, but didn’t want it to be too rich or too fussy. This Flourless Cake is made in one bowl. It’s a one layer cake that is dense and oh, so moist! I found this recipe and her techniques on Sally’s Baking Addiction, but this recipe is all over the Internet, including on King Arthur Flour’s site. There’s a reason it’s everywhere! It’s naturally gluten-free, and it’s amazing!

It tastes like a cross between a brownie and fudge. One site said that this cake is so rich you’ll only need two or three bites, but you’ll eat the whole piece! That richness included a ganache over the top, which I decided to leave off. Instead, I layered on strawberries, whipped topping and a dusting of powdered sugar. That balanced out the richness of the cake perfectly!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 6 ounces high quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped*
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon baking powder*

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F .Make sure you have a bottom oven rack and a center oven rack in place for step 5. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. The cake WILL stick unless it’s lined and generously greased.
2. Cut the butter into pieces so it melts evenly. Place in a large heat-proof bowl. Add chopped chocolate. Melt in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Let cool for 2-3 minutes. You can use a double boiler for this step if desired.
3. Whisk the sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla extract into the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the eggs until smooth. The mixture will be heavy and tacky, like brownie batter. Whisk in the cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder (if using).
4. Pour and spread batter into prepared cake pan.
5. Prepare the steamy oven: Place a large metal roasting pan or baking dish on the bottom oven rack. Do not use glass. Pour boiling water about 2 inches up the sides of the pan. (I just boil a kettle of water.) Quickly place the cake on the center rack and shut the oven door, trapping steam inside. The steamy oven helps guarantee an extra moist cake.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until the edges are set. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean OR comes out with just a few moist crumbs. It’s important to not over-bake this cake, which dries it out. Begin checking it at 25 minutes. Don’t be alarmed if the cake rises extra tall around some of the edges and slightly cracks– this is normal (it’s the eggs expanding) and will flatten out as it cools.
7. Remove from the oven, place cake on a cooling rack, and cool for only 10 minutes in the cake pan. Run a sharp knife around the edges to help release the warm cake, then quickly invert it onto a serving plate or cake stand. (If it cools completely in the pan, it’s very difficult to release from the pan.) Cake will be a little crumbly on the edges. Cool completely. I usually stick it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
8. Once the cake is cool, top with your choice of toppings.
9. Cover and store leftover cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can visit Sally’s site for other detailed instructions to ensure a delicious result! I followed the steps above and came out of the pan perfectly and was moist and decadent!

What a bonus, too, that it’s naturally gluten-free when there are so many who can’t have desserts with flour.

I think it will be fun to change up the cake toppings in the future. What would you put on top?