This Best Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe is a gluten-free dessert for serious chocolate lovers. It’s made with only 7 ingredients and is the perfect make-ahead treat for any party!
{Note: this flourless chocolate cake recipe was originally published on June 6th, 2016. The post has been updated with new photos & text but the recipe itself has not changed}!
When people say that a dessert is “too fudgy” or “too chocolatey” I never, ever understand what they mean. I’m just like..ummmm???…then pass it over here!
This Best Flourless Chocolate Cake is truly a show-stopper. It has been one of my most requested recipes for years. This cake is pure chocolatey & fudgy goodness, and is a gluten-free dessert for serious chocolate lovers. It’s made with only 7 ingredients and is the perfect make-ahead treat for a special occasion!
How do you make Flourless Chocolate Cake?
This recipe consists of a few simple ingredients…but they come together beautifully to make a truly special dessert. Here are a few tips to making it turn out perfect every time!
1. Bake the Flourless chocolate Cake in a water bath!
Bake it in a water bath! In order to ensure that no water leaks into the cake, I always bake it in a pan that has no seems (e.g. I do NOT use a springform pan)…which makes it a bit trickier to remove…but a little parchment paper and a good amount of greasing and you’ll be OK! 😉
Why do you bake flourless chocolate cake in a water bath? (How does a water bath work)?
Now it’s time for another chemistry lesson (because I majored in chemistry in college, and then I was a chemistry teacher before I had kids)! Do you know why it’s beneficial to bake certain treats in a water bath? Water has a high “heat capacity,” which is the amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of an object by 1 degree Celsius.
The heat capacity of an object depends on the chemical makeup and mass of the substance. If an object has a higher heat capacity, it takes longer for it’s temperature to change. For example, aluminum has a heat capacity of 0.90 J/goC, while water has a heat capacity of 4.18 J/goC. This means that aluminum’s temperature will fluctuate with its surroundings over 4x faster than water.
So, how does this apply to baking? (Right, not all of you are chemistry nerds like me)! If you bake something in a water bath it helps maintain a constant temperature.
Once the water reaches a warm temperature, if anything causes your oven to shift in temperature at all (e.g. you open the door to check the cake), the water bath will hold that temperature without changing. It also delivers a more indirect source of heat to the flourless chocolate cake! This translates to a more evenly baked Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake ! 🙂
A water bath adds moisture.
A water bath also adds moisture to the oven, keeping the flourless chocolate cake from drying out or cracking!
2. Chill the flourless chocolate cake
Something important to note about this Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe is that it needs to chill for a while. I usually make it the day before and let it chill overnight. The absolute minimum amount of chilling time I would give it is 6 hours.
3. Make-Ahead Dessert!
I love the fact that this recipe is best when served the next day! This means you can make it ahead and free yourself up to be able to focus on cooking other dishes the day of a special celebration or get together!
Flourless Chocolate Cake: Ingredients & Substitutions
I can honestly say I do NOT recommend making any substitutions in this recipe. It is absolute perfection as-is. But if you must, here are a few possible options.
- Chocolate. Listen up folks, the cake will be as good as the quality of chocolate used. My top choices in this recipe are Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate, Guittard dark chocolate or any other high-quality variety. The darker chocolate used, the richer the cake will taste.
- Butter. To make this cake dairy-free, a vegan butter substitute, like Earth’s Balanced, can be used.
Shop Flourless Chocolate Cake Making Essentials!
cake pan // measuring cups // measuring spoons // mixing bowl // spatula // standing mixer // cake stand // cake server
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Flourless Chocolate Cake
This Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake Recipe is a gluten-free dessert for serious chocolate lovers. It's made with only 7 ingredients and is the perfect make-ahead treat for any party!
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 18 oz (2 ¼ cups) bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)*
- 1 cup butter
- 6 eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease one 9” round cake pan (or glass pie plate) and set aside. (Note: I always cut a piece of parchment paper into a circle with “handles” and place it on the bottom of the pan. Then I grease the pan with the parchment paper in it).
- In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the water, salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved and set aside.
- Melt the chocolate chips and pour into the bowl of a standing mixer.
- Cut the butter into 1 TBS pieces and beat it into the chocolate, 1 piece at a time.
- Mix in the warm sugar/water mixture until combined.
- Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time until completely smooth.
- Add vanilla and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan.
- Put the cake pan in a larger pan and fill the larger pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of your cake pan. Be very careful not to get water into the cake! I like to put the pan with the cake in it on the oven rack before pouring the water. That way I just have to slide it in and close the door!
- Bake cake in the water bath at 300 degrees F for 45 minutes. The center will still look wet, but the edge will look done.
- Remove the cake from the water bath and let it cool on a wire rack.
- Chill cake overnight (or for at least 6 hours) in the pan!
- Carefully lift your parchment paper out of the pan and the cake with it. Put it on a serving plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar! Serve with fresh berries, ice cream, etc!
Recipe Notes
*I've had the best results with 60% or darker. My favorite is Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips! Recipe adapted from here:.
*Nutritional information calculated based on the recipe yielding 12 servings, although it is very rich and I find it can definitely serve more!
We are heading to the Tetons today and I am beyond excited! We are going to have an absolute blast! You can follow our mountain adventures on Instagram this week! I will not be posting a recipe on Thursday (time to unwind and unplug)! 🙂 So I hope this piece of chocolate heaven can hold you over until another recipe comes your way next Monday! 🙂
Super important question for you…what do YOU request as your birthday dessert?
I am not a traditional cake person…I’d probably request fudgy brownies with peanut butter frosting! 🙂
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine!
Kelly
I’m excited to try this recipe out over the weekend for a friend’s birthday but I have a couple of questions to make sure it turns out perfectly 🙂
1.) How deep should the 9 inch cake pan be to make sure the batter doesn’t overflow out of the dish?
2.) Should the butter be softened before adding?
Thank you!
Laura
Hey Kelly! 1) I have baked this cake in both a 9″ x 2″ cake pan and a 9″ x 3″ cake pan and have never had an issue with the filling pouring over the sides! However if you’re concerned, I’d use a 3″ deep pan. You can also use a 10″ x 2″ cake pan instead! 2) You do not need to soften the butter because the warm ingredients melt it! But you can if you would like to!
Joann Hunter
1. I am NOT a chocoholic…at all. But on a cruise I had a dessert that was chocolate and the bomb! I even begged the waiter for the same dessert the next night. Eventually, I discovered that it must be a flourless chocolate cake.
2. I have searched and researched to try to find a recipe. I do a lot of comparing recipes. I finally chose one from a blogger that I have tried recipes from. The results were a disaster. It went in the trash….literally. So sad.
3. Today is my father in laws 89th birthday…not that I need an excuse to try a new recipe…so I decided to try again. I really liked your recipe because of your chemistry explanation for one thing. And the pic looked more like what I wanted.
4. I did have to cook it a little longer but I watched it carefully!
5. I just got it out and could not wait to try it so my daughter and I tasted it. Yes, while it was still warm. IT IS AMAZING!!!! It is going to be hard to wait to eat more.
THANK YOU for the recipe. I don’t even care if anyone else likes it….I will eat it all myself! Bwahahaha!
Eff
I baked this yesterday and it looks amazing but I had an issue with the baking. I followed the recipe exactly and used a 9” tin as specified. I put all the mixture in the tin and there was a lot! My problem was. It overflowed the pan and I had chocolate mixture floating in the water. It also needed about an hour and a half before I felt it was firm enough to remove from the oven.
Any idea where I went wrong?
Annette
Hi ! Can i bake this in a greased stoneware glass dish(set in water during baking) so that I can leave it in the decorative dish for serving?
Laura
Yes! I have baked it in a ceramic tart pan and served it straight from the dish! It works well!
Maddie
I made this to bring to a Christmas party, and since a friend of mine is gluten free, I figured this cake would be perfect! I made it exactly as your recipe says and WOW. I made a raspberry purée and fresh whipped cream to go with it. My friend tried this and said to me “what is this delicious chocolate gold you made?” LOL I’d say it was a hit. Thanks for the recipe.
Amanda Lillard
I made this and everyone loved it – mourned a bit when it was gone.
I plan to make a couple for holiday parties and did wonder if anyone else has had an issue with tiny little bits of what seem to be egg protein that didn’t blend in? Any suggestions? It was delicious anyway but hope to improve next time.
Laura
Hey Amanda! The only thing I can think of is that either the melted chocolate/butter mixture or the warm sugar/water mixture was too hot and caused the eggs to cook when they were added. My recommendation would be to make sure the warm mixtures are cooled a little more next time before adding the eggs!
Amanda Lillard
Hi Laura! I figured it out. I use eggs from a local farm and they have very healthy chalaza (if you aren’t familiar, it is the little white stringy attachment between yolk and white). I made it again and separated that out (a grapefruit spoon works well). No weird bits!
kathleen l backhus
Well Hello there, I am grammie B and it seems I am super late to this party because I have read every single comment and tried to leave several comments where it told me to but it kept saying ERROR SORRY LEAVE A COMMENT BUT THEN WOULDN’T DO IT. Then also I have written one of your recipes I would like to try in the search box at least 20 times and waited , and waited, and waited more for this thing called a computer to keep saying it was waiting for the host and waiting for this and that and finally I went to your recipe index and went through all 13 pages of your yummie goodies and did find about 12 other recipes I want to try. I am known as a really great baker because I do bake all the time but am really looking for GREAT GLUTEN FREE RECIPES THAT ARE MADE WITHOUT BROWN RICE FLOUR . WE JUST CANNOT GET USED TO THE SANDY GRITTY TASTE SORRY. NOW—TO GET TO THE RECIPE I PLEEEZE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE . WHERE OH WHERE IS YOUR CREME BRULEE CHEESECAKE?? Also I love your notes they are the best I have seen they really help and save a ton of money and disappointed cooks. I think I really am going to enjoy your site. also are all your recipes gluten free or only when you say it is? please post when you answer me because I may never find your comment section again Ha ha
Laura
Hello! I’m so glad you have found our site! 🙂 You are always welcome to e-mail me as well at [email protected] if you have questions and cannot find the comment section! All of my recipes are not gluten free, but the ones that are do not use brown rice flour because I agree with you…it’s not my favorite! My favorite gluten-free flours are oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca flour! You can go to this “gluten-free” section of my website to find all my gluten-free recipes! Click here!
Anna
Hi! This cake looks amazing! Did you use a 9-inch SPRINGFORM cake pan or just a regular cake pan? Thank you very much!
Laura
Hey Anna! I use a regular cake pan lined with parchment paper and greased for easy removal. I don’t trust springform pans not to leak LOL! However, I *have* baked this cake in a springform pan in the past and just heavily lined the outside of the pan with foil so the water from the water bath had no way of seeping into the cake!
Brava
Hello Again Laura,
I’m pleased to report the cake was mouth-watering, orgasticy❣️🔥😌👏
It took longer to cook due to a couple of modifications to ingredients that I made – so I just intuited the ‘rightness’ of timing….and, Phew!…it worked out…deliciously 😌
The butter was actually 220gr methinks. and our Free Range eggs are a tad larger than those one can purchase. thanks to our Girls, albeit challenging keeping up with their ever shifting Stash 😉 😉
Thank you for your delectable Treat
Brava
H Laura, This cake not only looks a-mazing – it sounds it too! I’ve gone to make it on a number of occasions, only to be stumped by your listing of weight ingredients as volumes =:()…seeing that the Ingredients are rather expensive, I didn’t want to waste any. My research showed such dramatic variations in chocolate amounts as I endeavored to transcribe them. I.e. Chocolate could be up to 500gr + whence transposing 18oz, And the idea of smooshing butter into a cup measure, then trying to get it out again didn’t appeal 😮 Are you laughing now 😉 Anyway today, i was determined to make it, – despite being stopped by the “oh nos!” When I saw the ingredients list again.
I’ve just taken it out of the oven – seemed to take a lot longer than the 45mins but played it by ear (my poor dog is still awaiting her walk…patiently;);). )
In the end I used about 340 gr 85% , organic, Dark Choc. 230gr good N.Z. Butter, lovely Home Range eggs from our girls – including several beautiful Blue/green ones ((:~_~’. I also used some Grapefruit zest & juice at the water stage, with some Hibiscus 🌺 Tea. Sprinkled pine nuts (lovely big, fresh, grown in N.Z. Ones0 on top and popped it into the oven. Most of the water bath water had disappeared.
Now, of course, I have to wait until tomorrow, and in the process my pot of tea got cold ;);) Oh, the sacrifices we make for some extra good ooey gooey : )). I suspect it may be slightly over done, but figured that was preferable at this ‘1st time making’ stage… Stay tuned Laura 🙏💜
Emily Swanson
Definitely no such thing as too chocolatey, and I love hearing about your family and how the ladies love chocolate so much!
Kehau
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful chocolate heaven! It was a hit with the “native’s” in my hale (house)
Bethany
Ooh! Looks like the perfect chocolate dessert!
Albert Bevia
No dessert is ever too chocolatey! this truffle cake sounds devine, and pretty easy to make too, I have to give this go, so many great reviews about it!
Sarah
Hi there! This recipe looks lovely, I’m planning to make it today for a dinner tomorrow night. =) One question though, do you let this come to room temperature or do you serve it cold? I’m sure either way is great just wondering if it will hold up to sitting at room temp for a bit. Thanks in advance!!!
Laura
Hey Sarah! Oh boy you will love it! I usually serve it cold. It does hold up sitting at room temperature for a little while, although the cake might start to “sweat” if that makes sense! 🙂
Sarah
Got it. Thanks so much for replying (and so quickly)!
Tammy
I am coming way late to the party, but I am slightly confused on the amount of chocolate. 18oz plus the 2+ cups? Thanks!
Laura
Hey Tammy! It’s 18 oz of chocolate which equals about 2 1/4 cups of chopped chocolate! I like to include both measurements! I edited the recipe to try to make it more clear!
Beth
How long will this keep in the refrigerator?
Kari
I am sugar free- low carb. Would I be able to substitute Lilly’s chocolate chips and a natural- calorie free sugar both 1:1?
Does this taste like a fudgey brownie?
Kari
Hi!
I am sugar free and low carb. Could I sub swerve for the sugar (1:1) and sub Lily’s chocolate chips (1:1) for the chocolate chips?
Cate
Is the butter softened or straight from the fridge?
Tracy
Hello,
At which point do you add the vanilla. I do not see in the instructions? And can you use different chocolate other than bittersweet? Thanks.
Laura
Hey Tracy! Thank you for pointing that out to me! Add the vanilla in step #7 (after the eggs are all mixed into the batter)!
Marci
So far so good, just took it out of the oven, looks just as described. I am a pretty good baker but have never made anything like this and was very nervous. Your tips were amazing, thank you.
It smells delicious so I have a feeling as long as it comes out of the pan well be in good shape…..
Laura
Hey Marci! I’m so glad it’s looking great! Yes, the whole removing cakes from a pan thing can be tricky! 😉 As long as it’s completely cooled you should be good to go! Merry Christmas!
Sharon Pyes
Can this cake be frozen?
Cal
I would like to know as well! I was lucky enough to win this at a fundraiser auction last night and don’t want it to go to waste!
Laura
Hey ladies! I haven’t tried freezing the flourless chocolate cake recipe! However, I imagine if you let it cool completely (in the fridge overnight) and then remove it from the baking pan, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil,it should freeze well! You could freeze the whole cake, or cut it into slices and then freeze (so you can remove one piece at a time if you wish)! Make sure you allow plenty of time to defrost in the refrigerator before you would like to eat it!
Laura
I haven’t tried freezing the flourless chocolate cake recipe! However, I imagine if you let it cool completely (in the fridge overnight) and then remove it from the baking pan, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil,it should freeze well! You could freeze the whole cake, or cut it into slices and then freeze (so you can remove one piece at a time if you wish)! Make sure you allow plenty of time to defrost in the refrigerator before you would like to eat it!
Hannah
Would it work subbing coconut oil for butter? I have a dairy allergy-coconut oil hardens when cold and I’ve used it in paleo fudges and it worked so wonder if it would suffice here
Laura
Hey Hannah! I have yet to try this cake with coconut oil (it’s on my list)! My only concern is that coconut oil has a much lower melting point than butter, so it may not set properly. I’d recommend using Earth Balance butter (it is vegan)! as a dairy-free substitute!
JIll
This looks great. I’d like to give it a try for Christmas, as my sister-in-law requires gluten free desserts and we both love chocolate. Seems like a “win win” solution. Regarding the parchment paper with handles….does the parchment paper go all the way up the sides of the pan with handles sticking above the pan? Thanks!
Laura
Hey Jill! Here’s how I go about making the parchment paper lining….I trace the bottom of the pan in the middle of my parchment paper (making a circle)…then when I’m cutting it out I leave two, fat rectangles going up the sides (It looks like this LOL =o=). The circle perfectly fits in the bottom while the rectangles go up the sides. I then grease the sides of the pan and the parchment paper before pouring in the cake batter. So only the “handles” go up the sides of the pan. Does this make sense? you could also use a springform pan however I don’t love those because they can leak sometimes!
Jill
Thank you Laura for responding. You described how to do this perfectly. Can’t wait to give it a try!
Caitlin
So I just baked a test run of this recipe tonight (I plan to bring it to Thanksgiving). I didn’t follow your advice about letting it sit for 6+ hours only because my taste tester/boyfriend is going to be gone until Thanksgiving. It tastes amazing and I will be making it for Thanksgiving. I have a question about how dense the final product should be. Mine turned out almost like a mousse with a harder top. Very light, very fluffy but rich. Is that right? I have a very temperamental oven so I have to bake everything longer (I baked this for 1 hour, 5 mins).
Laura
Hey Caitlin! As Tom Petty says…”the waiting is the hardest part!” 😉 I usually bake this cake and let it sit overnight in the fridge before cutting into it. If you cut it sooner it will have more of a mousse texture. If you wait until it’s completely chilled it will have a dense, fudge-like texture!
Ruth Watkin
Hi, this cake looks amazing. Is it still edible if not chilled overnight? (I haven’t planned far enough ahead.)
Laura
Hey Ruth! The shortest amount of time I’d recommend chilling it is 6 hours. 🙂
Kaylee
I’m looking for a rich and dense chocolate cake to bake for my son’s birthday party, this one looks and sounds wonderful, do you know if it could be paird with a buttercream icing and stacked if I were to double or triple the recipe and bake two or three 9″ cakes?
Thank you!
Laura
Hey Kaylee! This recipe is like a rich, dense chocolate truffle. Since it’s so heavy and dense I’m not sure it would stack well. I honestly couldn’t recommend using this as a layer cake! But…I’ve made this recipe from another blog as a stackable, gluten-free, dense, fudgy layer cake and it turned out amazing! I hope that helps!
Rebecca
I’m making this cake as a year end present for a teacher who is gluten intolerant – the batter is amaaaazing! I’ll definitely have to make one for myself because I NEED to try it. This recipe is for sure a keeper! In my opinion, the chocolatier, the better.
Laura
Rebecca I’m SO glad you love it (even just in the batter phase)!! You absolutely need to make one for yourself to enjoy too! 😉
Christie
This cake looks so amazing!! So light, moist, and delicious. Can’t wait to try it!
Laura
Moist & delicious it is…but light it is not! LoL! 🙂 It’s a very dense, rich cake….but you won’t be sorry if you give it a whirl! 🙂
Elissa
Wow, it looks so moist and fudgy! I love those type of cakes.
Laura
Elissa! It basically is a giant piece of fudge! 😉
Corrine
Cake is always a must for my birthday, but this looks so decadent I might have to give it a go! Or test it out on someone else’s birthday. Thanks for sharing!
Laura
You won’t be disappointed! It is definitely a cake that’s best when shared! 🙂
Cook This Again Mom
This looks amazing! Stopping by from the Recipe Sharing Party. Pinned and Yummed! 🙂
Laura
Thank you SO much! 🙂
[email protected]
Sounds wonderful!
Chrissa- Physical Kitchness
No such thing as too many women – expect for maybe in the kitchen 😉 This cake looks AMAZEBALLS. SO moist! I mean, I must have this in my life because chocolate is everything.
Laura
LOL! So true! 🙂 Unless your a single dad and even the cat is a lady! 😉 You won’t be sorry for inviting this cake into your life…that’s for sure! 🙂
Carole from Carole's Chatter
Hi Laura, lovely cake, hope you’ll bring this on over to Food on Friday: Cakes over at my house (Carole’s Chatter)!
Laura
Thank you Carole! 🙂
Ginger Wroot
I’m actually not a huge chocolate fan, but my mom? Well, that’s another story! Plus, she’s gluten intolerant, so I’m thinking this just might be a wonderful cake to make for her birthday! Pinned, and thanks!
–G
http://gingerwroot.com
Laura
Not a chocolate fan?! Oh no!!! I guess that means there’s more for the rest of us… 😉
Jen V
Visiting from the Your Whims Wednesday link party. That looks so yummy! I am going to have to try your recipe. And I agree with you – no recipe could ever be too fudgy or too chocolatey 🙂
Laura
You’ll have to let me know how it goes! 🙂 There really is no such thing!
Sandy
I have made your recipe many times and it is now my most requested dessert as well! I really enjoy making it because it’s so easy and there is a lot of chocolate licking that happens.
Laura
🙂 It truly is the chocolate perfection.
Beverley @ Born to Sweat
what a gorgeous cake!! looks amazing. and i know what you mean – when people say something is ‘too rich,’ i’m just like ‘oh yea totally… so rich.. couldn’t eat another bite.’
but then i just slowly pick at it until it’s all gone 😉
Laura
Thank you! Can’t let perfectly good dessert go to waste… 😉
rachel @ athleticavocado
nothing is ever too chocolatey or fudgey for me either haha! Bring on all the gooey chocolatey goodness! This cake is all I could ever want and MORE!
Laura
Couldn’t agree more! the gooier and fudgier the better!
Rusty Ryan
Laura is still our family’s “Dessert Queen”, regardless of the distance between us! This is one of her all time greats. This cake is simply fabulous. Dense, rich, moist chocolate yumminess…pairs perfectly with a strong cup of coffee, or an ice cold glass of milk. A little slice of heaven that goes a long, long way.
Have a blast in the Tetons….Enjoy the incredible sites…The Tetons are one of the top 3 mental pictures of vacations that are permanently etched in my old pumpkin head. (The Columbia River Gorge viewed from the Vista House, and the first glimpse over the rim of Crater Lake are the other 2).
Laura
It has been a blast! Loving every minute with my babies! 🙂