This is undoubtedly the best flourless chocolate cake. Usually, when it comes to cakes, people tend to wonder if they could be made without using flour. And the thing is that, in general, when it comes to all kinds of desserts, flour is a very important part. And when we talk about flour we are talking about all purpouse wheat flour that we all know, and that is used for many, many recipes. Flour is a crucial part of several baked goods we all know and love.
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Still, it is not impossible to make desserts, and in this case a chocolate cake, without using flour, and in fact, it is easier than many of us think. Now, there area lot of desserts that have chocolate in them, and of course, they taste a lot like chocolate. But in this case, this cake tastes a lot like chocolate, much more than any regular chocolate cake, and it is composed almost entirely of chocolate!
Now, the fact that it is flourless does not prevent it from being fluffy. It is a cake with a particular texture, it is denser and at the same time softer, because it has less body to it somwhow. This, at the same time, makes it tend to fall apart, and I like that a lot. It has a texture that reminds me of a brownie, without being as chewy as one.
In the photos you can see well the texture it has, and it is impressive. On top it forms a crunchy layer that I love, it’s almost the best part for me.
A trick to make this cake have such an intense flavor is to add a little coffee. In the end, the cake will not taste like coffee, but the coffee, in a way, enhances the flavor of the chocolate in the mixture.
In the end we like to put a little powdered sugar on top, and eat it with fresh fruit, especially with acid fruits, like raspberries in this case, but it would also be great with strawberries, blackberries, or even kiwi, why not?
If you like this recipe, you have to check out our classic brownies, you will love them for sure!
The best flourless chocolate cake
Ingredients
- 6 oz (170 gr) semisweet chocolate, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 C (4 oz) (112 gr) unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp instant coffee (soluble) (optional)
- 3/4 C (5.30 oz) (150 gr) white sugar
- 1 tsp (0.17 fl oz) (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, big, separated, yolks and whites
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Cocoa powder, unsweetened, for decorating
- Berries and strawberries, for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 356ºF (180°C). Grease and line a round cake pan of approximately 7.90 inches (20 cm) in diameter with parchment paper.
- Crack the eggs and place the whites in a clean medium bowl and the yolks in a different small bowl.
- Melt the chocolate with the butter, which can be done in two ways. The first is in a double boiler, placing a medium saucepan with plenty of water over medium heat. Then, add both ingredients to a large heat-resistant bowl and place it on top of the pot with water (without touching the water) so that they melt with the steam. The second is in the microwave, adding both ingredients to a large microwave-safe bowl and then melting them for 30-second intervals, i.e., put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds and take it out after this time to mix a little with a fork. Repeat the process until both the chocolate and the butter are completely melted.
- As soon as the chocolate and butter are melted, add to the same bowl the soluble coffee with half of the sugar and beat with a hand whisk for 1 minute until everything is integrated.
- Add the egg yolks one by one, beating a few seconds after each addition. Then add the vanilla extract with the cocoa powder (previously sifted) and beat for 1 more minute until very smooth.
- Separately, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites for 1 minute until they begin to form soft peaks. Add the rest of the sugar with the salt and continue beating for 2-3 more minutes until stiff peaks form.
- Carefully add the beaten egg whites in three separate additions to the chocolate mixture. Use a rubber spatula to integrate both mixtures doing folding motions until everything is smooth.
- Pour this mixture into the cake pan and bake at 356ºF (180° C) for 25-30 minutes until the cake has risen a little and slightly cracked on the surface, which is normal and part of the charm of this cake.
- Once ready, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool down in the pan for 20 minutes. Then carefully run a dull knife around the cake to then turn it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- To serve, decorate the cake with a little cocoa on top, plus berries if desired.
