Our Flourless (and flawless) Chocolate Cake Recipe

How to make a flourless chocolate cake 

Discover how to create Venchi’s simple flourless chocolate cake recipe rich in chocolate flavor and soft in texture. We’ve selected top-quality dark chocolate for this recipe because its high cocoa content and rich flavor profile are a perfect match. To guarantee a flawless cake every time, here are a couple of essential tips to keep in mind: 

1. Don’t overbake it: we’re all hoping for a moist cake, not a dry one and the baking time can make a big difference to the final texture of the cake; we recommend a 25-minute baking time. You can test if the cake has finished baking with a toothpick; if it comes out mostly clean, the cake is ready to be taken out of the oven. 

2. Bake in a steamy oven: to achieve a soft, fudgy texture, baking your cake in a steamy oven will be a significant help. All you’ll need is to fill a saucepan with boiling water and place it in the bottom of the oven. Then, put your cake batter into the tray above, quickly shutting the oven door to keep the steam trapped.  

 

Ingredients 

• 1 stick unsalted butter  

• 1 cup 70% Venchi dark chocolate  

• 3 large eggs  

• ¾ cup white sugar  

• ½ cup cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting  

• pinch of salt  

 

Instructions for the perfect flourless cake 

1. Grease an 8-inch cake tin with butter and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Do this step carefully so the baked cake will easily come out of the tin. Preheat your oven to 350F.  

2. Prepare a double boiler by placing a medium saucepan with half-filled water on the stove and bringing it to a simmer. Break the dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl and then put the bowl on top of the saucepan. Add butter to the chocolate, making sure to stir until both are melted and then set it aside to cool.  

3. Put egg yolks into one bowl and egg whites in another. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks appear.  

4. Add sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is pale and airy. Use a sieve to add the cocoa powder and pinch of salt, then use a spatula to mix the ingredients gently.  

5. Next, add the melted chocolate and gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter.  

6. Pour the cake batter into the greased tin and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Start checking the cake at the 20-minute mark to make sure you don’t overbake it. Once it’s risen and starting to crack around the edges, the cake is ready.  

7. Keep the flourless cake in its tin and let it completely cool.  

Once the flourless chocolate cake has cooled completely, consider taking it to the next level with a delicious ganache, made with equal parts of heavy cream and chocolate which are melted together until smooth. For a deeper understanding of other topping options, you can also check out our article discussing the difference between frosting and icing! 

 

Nutrition Facts 

per 1 serving of cake (55g)  

• Calories 220kcal  

• Carbohydrates 9.5g  

• Sugars 4.9g  

• Fat 15g  

• Protein 3.3g  

 

How to store a flourless chocolate torte 

Storing this flourless chocolate torte doesn’t require much maintenance. Despite popular opinion, it’s best to avoid storing unfrosted cake in the fridge because the cold temperatures can cause the sugar and starch to crystallize and become dry and hard.  

Instead, keep it simple and store the chocolate cake on the kitchen counter at room temperature, either covered with aluminum foil or stored in an airtight container. The cake will remain fresh on the counter for at least 3 days. 

Since this cake isn’t frosted, it can be freezed for up to two months. To freeze it successfully, allow the cake to cool completely and wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection.