Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings

Looking for an allergy-friendly, kosher-for-Passover dessert that's dairy-free, nut-free, margarine-free, and so delicious you'll actually want to make it year-round? This luscious flourless chocolate cake definitely fills the bill. Best of all, it's easy to make: The eggs don't need separating or whipping, and the recipe is easy to mix by hand, without special equipment. Because cocoa powder stands in for matzo cake meal, the cake is naturally gluten-free—and intensely chocolatey (but not too sweet). You can serve it solo or dress it up with fresh berries or fruit, sorbet, or whipped cream or ice cream for a dairy meal. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (6 ounces) dark or bittersweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate

  • 2/3 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup grapeseed oil, olive oil, or other neutral oil

  • 1 tablespoon brewed coffee, optional

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or fine kosher salt

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup pure unsweetened cocoa powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Flourless Chocolate Cake ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. ​Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly oil an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

    Lightly oil a springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. In a double boiler or microwave, melt the chocolate. Alternatively, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it into a small saucepan of gently simmering water. (Make sure that the bottom of the bowl nests in the saucepan but doesn't touch the water.) Stir frequently until the chocolate is completely melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan, and set aside. (It's a good idea to dry any condensation from the outside of the bowl so the water doesn't drip into the chocolate and cause it to seize.)

    melt chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. In a large bowl, combine the chocolate and sugar, mixing well with a wire whisk. Whisk in the oil, coffee (if using), vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

    combine the chocolate and sugar, whisk in the oil, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition.

    add eggs to the chocolate mixture

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Sprinkle the cocoa powder evenly over the top of the batter, then whisk until it is fully incorporated. 

    add cocoa powder to the batter

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top of the cake is firm and has a thin, shiny crust and a tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. 

    Bake the chocolate cake

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  9. Place the cake, still in its pan, on a wire rack to cool.

    Place the cake, still in its pan, on a wire rack to cool

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  10. Run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the cake to loosen it, then open the springform pan latch, and remove the ring from the pan bottom. Place a large plate on top of the cake, and holding both the plate and pan bottom, flip to invert the cake. Remove the pan bottom, peel off the parchment, and invert the cake back onto a cake plate or platter, so it is right side up.

    remove cake from the springform pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  11. Serve with a dusting of additional cocoa powder, fresh berries, whipped cream, or ice cream, if desired.

    Flourless Chocolate Cake, Serve with a dusting of additional cocoa powder, and whipped cream

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
233 Calories
17g Fat
17g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 233
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 21%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 71mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 116mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)