Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
The absence of flour results in a texture somewhere between a dense, fudgy brownie and a rich mousse. The key technique is whipping the eggs and sugar until they are thick and voluminous, which gives the cake its lift. Be aware that the cake will rise during baking and then fall dramatically as it cools; this is normal and creates the characteristic dense center and crackly top.
Ingredients
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), finely chopped
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp dark rum
- 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Dutch-process cocoa powder, for dusting the pan
Prep the Pan
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan. Dust the inside with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. This prevents the cake from sticking without leaving a white film of flour. Wrap the outside of the pan in a layer of aluminum foil to protect against any potential leaks from the thin batter.
Melt the Chocolate and Butter
In a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (a double boiler), combine the bittersweet and semisweet chocolates, the butter, and the instant espresso powder. Let it all melt, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is completely smooth.
Remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool slightly while you prepare the eggs.
Whip the Eggs for Volume
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar.
Whip on high speed for about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should become very thick, pale, and triple in volume. When you lift the whisk, the mixture should fall back in a thick ribbon that sits on the surface for a moment before dissolving. This step is what gives the cake its structure.
Fold Everything Together
Pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture, the dark rum, and the salt into the whipped eggs.
Using a spatula, gently fold the chocolate into the eggs until just combined. You want to be as gentle as possible to avoid deflating all the air you just whipped into the eggs. Stop folding as soon as no streaks of egg remain.
Bake and Cool
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the top.
Bake for ~25-30 minutes. The edges of the cake will look set and puffed, but the center will still have a slight wobble when you gently shake the pan. A toothpick inserted about an inch from the edge should come out with moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. It will sink in the middle as it cools; this is what it’s supposed to do. Once completely cool, run a knife around the edge before releasing the springform ring. Dust with more cocoa powder before serving.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate 70% cacao, finely chopped
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, cut into pieces
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp dark rum
- 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Dutch-process cocoa powder for dusting the pan
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Butter 9-inch springform pan, dust with cocoa powder, wrap outside with foil.
- Melt both chocolates, butter, and espresso powder in double boiler until smooth.
- Whip eggs with both sugars on high speed 5-7 minutes until pale and tripled in volume.
- Fold melted chocolate mixture, rum, and salt into whipped eggs until just combined.
- Pour into prepared pan, smooth top.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until edges are set but center slightly wobbles.
- Cool completely in pan. Cake will sink in middle.
- Run knife around edge, release springform, dust with cocoa powder.
