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–+ servings
flourless chocolate cake recipe by sugar and sparrow
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Flourless Chocolate Cake

Rich and fudgy flourless chocolate cake that's super easy to make, yet tastes like it belongs on a fancy restaurant dessert menu! It's the perfect decadent dessert for special occasions and is sure to impress.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 12 slices

Equipment

Ingredients

Flourless Chocolate Cake

  • 1 Cup (6oz, 170g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or bar chopped into small pieces
  • 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp espresso powder or instant coffee optional
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cup (42g) unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed or regular
  • 1/3 Cup (80ml) heavy whipping cream, cold

Cocoa Whipped Cream (Optional)

  • 1/3 Cup (80ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Additional Garnish (Optional)

  • 5 Oz fresh raspberries
  • 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Flourless Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Prepare an 8-inch round pan by spraying the sides with baking spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper, then spray the parchment paper as well.
  • In a large microwave safe mixing bowl, add the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate). Slice the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces so it melts easily and add it in with the chocolate. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each one, until the butter has melted and the mixture can be whisked into a completely smooth, uniform consistency. Let the chocolate mixture cool for 2-3 minutes.
  • To the chocolate mixture, add the sugar, espresso powder (or instant coffee) if using, vanilla, and salt. Whisk together until combined, then whisk in the eggs and egg yolk until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until combined. The batter will be thick like brownie batter.
  • Add the heavy whipping cream into a separate medium bowl and use a hand mixer to whip it into soft peaks, about 2 minutes. You can alternatively use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment for this. Once the whipped cream has reached soft peaks, use a rubber spatula to gently fold it into the chocolate mixture until no streaks remain.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are set and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 200ºF (93ºC). If you don't have an instant read thermometer, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center and seeing that it comes out clean. It's better to slightly underbake this cake than overbake it, so start checking for doneness at 25 minutes. It's normal for the sides of the cake to rise higher than the center and to see some minor cracks in the surface.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for no more than 5-10 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges to release them from the sides of the pan. Then, invert it onto a serving plate so that the bottom of the cake becomes the top. Let the cake cool completely by placing it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Make the Cocoa Whipped Cream

  • Add all of the cocoa whipped cream ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a large bowl with a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high until creamy yet stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.

Assembly

  • Once the flourless chocolate cake has cooled to room temperature (you can also serve it cold from the refrigerator), top with the fresh raspberries. Add the powdered sugar into a fine mesh sieve and dust the cake and berries with powdered sugar. Top or serve with the cocoa whipped cream. In these photos, I used Wilton Tip 4B to pipe the cocoa whipped cream onto the cake.

Notes

Make Ahead Tips:
  1. The flourless chocolate cake can be baked ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days ahead of serving. You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Cool it in the refrigerator, then wrap well with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil before freezing. Let the cake thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. 
  2. The cocoa whipped cream filling can be made up to 1 day ahead of time, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.