Flourless Chocolate Cake – Barefoot in the kitchen

Have you tried a flourless chocolate cake? If so, chances are you’ll never forget that first bite. Unassuming in appearance and almost ridiculously easy to make, this cake is a fantastic decadent treat.

A few years ago, a sweet friend of mine asked for a flourless chocolate cake for her birthday. I had never heard of it before, but she told me that she once fell in love with him in a restaurant and wondered if I could make her one.

I found different recipes and tried a few of them. Then I did this one and it took my breath away. This cake delivers the most intense chocolate flavor imaginable.

flourless chocolate cake

I have made this cake many times over the past 10+ years and every time it is served the room goes silent. There’s no better compliment than knowing your guests are basking in what you served them so happily that no one is talking while they’re eating it.

What if the plates are empty? Oh my god, the craze for this cake is always over the top. It’s a timeless recipe for a reason.

This flourless cake is creamy and smooth, not dry at all. The serving size is really the smallest sliver. The piece shown here served two people.

This flourless chocolate cake recipe uses dark chocolate instead of the traditional combination of chocolate and cocoa powder. The dark chocolate here intensifies the chocolate flavor in the cake and the result is a creamy, almost truffle-like cake with a creamy velvety interior.

If you’re already a fan of this easy flourless chocolate cake and want to try something different, this version is a sweet, cold, creamy chocolate cake combined with a touch of unexpected heat as you finish each bite; it is unforgettable.

The heat will increase slightly after a night or two in the fridge, but the cream balances it out nicely. I made the flourless “hot” chocolate cake for my family and then cut up the rest of the cake and sent it to work with my husband.

The reviews from everyone who tried it were fantastic. (Even my non-spice-loving kids went a little nuts over it.)

Cake without flour

I call this an “accidentally gluten-free” recipe because it requires no special ingredients or effort. Since this type of gluten free recipes is always appreciated, I have put together a whole collection of the best gluten free recipes that don’t require any special ingredients. And don’t miss the rest of our gluten-free dessert recipes if that’s something that suits you.

Speaking of dark, bittersweet chocolate, even if you’re not usually a fan of dark chocolate, trust me when I say it’s a requirement here.

I made this once with regular semi-sweet chocolate chips I had on hand and most of us could barely eat it. It was a crazy level of sweetness. My youngest boys (who both have a pretty strong sweet tooth) enjoyed it, but we can all agree the dark chocolate version is way better.

Chocolate cake without flour

You only need six ingredients for this recipe:

• Sugar
• Salt
• Water
• dark chocolate
• butter
• eggs

Recipe for chocolate cake without flour

In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, and water over medium-high heat.

Simmer, stirring frequently, until clear and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or in a microwave on 50% power for 1 minute intervals), melt the chocolate.

Pour the melted chocolate into a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor.

Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and slowly beat the butter, piece by piece, into the melted chocolate. (It’s okay to have a few small unmelted butter bits in the chocolate mixture.)

Pour the hot sugar and water mixture into the chocolate. Hit to combine.

Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg has been added to the mixture.

Pour the batter into the well-greased springform pan.

Prepare a pan larger than the springform pan and place the springform pan in it.

In the past I have used the grill pan from my oven. This is the easiest option, but unfortunately I no longer have an oven with a grill pan like this.

Now I use a large catering foil pan with a baking sheet underneath. As you can see from the photo below, it’s not the prettiest option, but it works well.

Pour about 4 cups of boiling water into the larger pan, or enough water to fill the pan about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Carefully place the pans in the oven and bake the cake in the double boiler for 45-48 minutes. The center of the cake will still look moist after baking.

Chill the cake in the pan overnight. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan and remove the springform ring before serving.

Cut into very thin pieces and sprinkle with powdered sugar or garnish with freshly whipped cream and berries.

How to use a springform pan

If you’re new to using a springform pan, I have a tip for you. Some springform pans will let water through to the bottom of the cake.

If you are concerned about this or unsure how tight your pan will seal, you can wrap foil very tightly around the outside bottom and sides of the pan.

The foil ensures that no water can get into the pan. I’ve done this in the past with double boiler recipes and various springform pans and it works well.

I almost always wrap my springform pans like this, just in case. It only takes a minute and your dessert won’t run the risk of being less than perfect.

Easy chocolate cake

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Chocolate Lava Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream come true. With a gooey center and a sizzling, pie-like crust, no other dessert quite compares.

The classic recipe for Hershey’s Chocolate Cake (straight off the side of the box) is truly the most versatile and the easiest The most perfect one bowl chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made. I also adapted it for gluten-free baking, so both variants are included.

Chocolate Quinoa Cake (I’m not kidding) has the texture of a traditional cake, but no special flours are required. This is pure, sweet chocolate cake. This cake blew my mind. Just writing about it here makes me grin to think of how perfectly moist, rich and chocolatey it is.

This Cold Chocolate Snacking Cake was designed to be served cold from the fridge. It’s a rich dark chocolate cake topped with an absolutely amazing chocolate frosting. It is wonderfully unique and utterly unforgettable.

Old-fashioned Chocolate Crazy Cake is one of the easiest cakes you will ever make. This cake is both egg and dairy free, making it the perfect dessert to make on a whim with little more than a handful of pantry items.

{originally posted 2/13/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 4/11/23}