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Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake {Gluten-Free}

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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! 

Side view of a piece of Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake on a plate with whipped cream and a strawberry on top

{Note: this 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 Flourless Chocolate Truffle 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!

Overhead view of a whole Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake on a plate with whipped cream and a strawberry on top dusted with cocoa powder

When we lived in Chicago, whenever it was a family member’s birthday, we would celebrate with food (of course)! My dad would cook the birthday girl her favorite meal, and I was the designated dessert lady. I say birthday girl because my family is full of women. Growing up it was just my sister and I, and my dad actually used to sing the song “Too Many Women” by Big Mouth and the Power Tools Band when we’d drive him particularly crazy. Then, he married my amazing step-mom…who has 3 daughters!

When I got married my dad finally had Ritch to do manly things with! And then we had our first child and it was a girl too {and now we have 3 girls and 1 boy}! 🙂

Anyway…since we’re a tribe of ladies, most of the time the requested birthday dessert has some sort of chocolate in it! This Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake made many appearances…my dad & step-mom even requested that it be the feature dessert at their wedding! I love this Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake because it’s a decadent treat that even your gluten-free friends and family members can enjoy!

Side view of a = Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake with two pieces cut, on a plate with whipped cream and a strawberry on top dusted with cocoa powder

Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake: Method 

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. 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! 😉

Science lesson: WHY water baths are awesome!

Now it’s time for another chemistry lesson (because yours truly was a chemistry major in college, and then a chemistry teacher before our own babies came along)! 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 your baking temperature (in this case, 300 degrees F), 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. This translates to a more evenly baked Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake ! 🙂

Overhead view of a Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake, with two pieces cut, on a plate with whipped cream and a strawberry on top dusted with cocoa powder

 2. Chilling time. 

Something important to note about this Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake 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.

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 Truffle Cake: 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.

Front view of a piece of Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake on a plate with whipped cream and a strawberry on top and one bite taken out on a fork next to it

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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! 

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword dark chocolate cake, flourless chocolate cake recipe, rich chocolate desserts
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chilling time 12 hours
Total Time 13 hours
Servings 12 slices (at least)
Calories 422 kcal
Author Laura

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 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).
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine the water, salt and sugar. Stir until completely dissolved and set aside.
  3. Melt the chocolate chips and pour into the bowl of a standing mixer.
  4. Cut the butter into 1 TBS pieces and beat it into the chocolate, 1 piece at a time.
  5. Mix in the warm sugar/water mixture until combined.
  6. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time until completely smooth.
  7. Add vanilla and mix until just combined.
  8. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.
  9. 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!
  10. 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.
  11. Remove the cake from the water bath and let it cool on a wire rack.
  12. Chill cake overnight (or for at least 6 hours) in the pan!
  13. 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! 

Nutrition Facts
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 422 Calories from Fat 275
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30.5g 47%
Saturated Fat 18.1g 91%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 9.1g
Cholesterol 134mg 45%
Potassium 194.8mg 6%
Total Carbohydrates 39.2g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2.5g 10%
Sugars 35.5g
Protein 5.1g 10%
Vitamin A 12.5%
Calcium 2.8%
Iron 9.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

side view of a piece of Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake on a plate with whipped cream and a strawberry on top

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! 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 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).

    Reply

  3. 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 😉

    Reply

  4. 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.

    Reply

    • 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! 🙂

      Reply

  11. 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!

    Reply

    • 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! 🙂

      Reply

  14. 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.

    Reply

  15. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  17. 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).

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  18. 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!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  19. 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

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

      • 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!

        Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  21. 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…..

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  22. 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.

    Reply

  24. 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?

    Reply

  25. 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?

    Reply

  27. I am coming way late to the party, but I am slightly confused on the amount of chocolate. 18oz plus the 2+ cups? Thanks!

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  28. 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!!!

    Reply

  31. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful chocolate heaven! It was a hit with the “native’s” in my hale (house)

    Reply

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