Gluten-free Flourless Chocolate Cake
This gluten-free flourless chocolate cake is a rich chocolate cake topped with fluffy vanilla whipped cream. The top of the flourless cake has an almost brownie-like texture and flavor, while the inside is super moist and fudgy.
This is a great dessert choice for if you need to make a gluten-free dessert without having to buy special ingredients. With only 4 ingredients, all that you can grab easily at your local store, this easy flourless cake is great to whip up and enjoy!
I’ve served this flourless cake at Christmas and Valentine’s Day as well as regular dinners where we had friends over. My family and our guests all raved about how delicious this is.
Is it the prettiest dessert? Nope. Is it delicious? YES!
Add this to your next special evening with guests or just with family and you will not be disappointed!
This recipe comes from Martha Stewart online, you can see her version here, topped with powdered sugar.
Let’s talk about what you need and how to make this flourless cake.
Notes on ingredients for this flourless chocolate cake:
- Chocolate: The chocolate is the star of this recipe, so I recommend using a good one! Some people like using bittersweet chocolate, but I really prefer semi-sweet chocolate. You can chop your own bars of chocolate or use semi-sweet chocolate chips like I did. I often make with Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Butter: I prefer using salted butter. It has better flavor.
- Eggs: There is no subbing the eggs in this – they’re important for giving this lift, and the incredible texture. You’ll be separating yolks and egg whites. I prefer using this egg separator to perfectly separate eggs without breaking any yolks or getting any shells in there. I’ve had this one for probably 20 years, so it’s worth investing in one!
- Sugar: Just plain white sugar is all you need for this!
See, just 4 simple ingredients for the flourless cake portion! You probably have all of these on hand already too!
How to make flourless chocolate cake:
Preheat the oven to 275°. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan. Set aside.
Place butter and chocolate in a large, microwaveable bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until completely melted. Let cool slightly.
Whisk in egg yolks until smooth.
In medium or large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form.
Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Here’s a pic:
Then gently fold in remaining egg whites. Here’s a pic:
Pour batter into the prepared springform cake pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Here’s what it looks like in pan before baking:
Bake at 275° until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center, 45-50 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack; remove sides of pan.
While you can buy Cool Whip topping, I highly recommend you make sweetened homemade whipped cream to top slices of this cake with. It’s quite easy too!
For the whipping cream, you’ll want to grab a quart of heavy whipping cream, some powdered sugar and some pure vanilla extract.
How to make homemade whipped cream:
To a mixing bowl, add the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and pure vanilla extract.
Use the whisk attachment on your mixer or hand mixer to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. I usually add the powdered sugar a bit at a time.
If not using right away, cover and chill until serving.
Serve this flourless chocolate cake at room temperature with sweetened vanilla whipped cream.
Some people like to sprinkle a bit of cocoa powder over the top too, and you can do that if you want it more fancy.
A little story behind this flourless cake recipe:
It is quite rare that I get to enjoy a meal or dessert that someone else prepares for me in their home. Most of my friends and family, knowing how sensitive I am to gluten, don’t even attempt to cook or bake for me, and that is totally fine. However, it’s a real treat for me when, once in a while, someone that understands cooking and baking gluten-free (and being careful for cross-contamination) will make something to share with me!
When our family was in Montana for Thanksgiving one year, we drove out to a friend’s ranch near Red Lodge, Montana. I wish I had snapped a pic of that beautiful area there, with the breathtaking snow-covered mountain ranges all around. Our friends that live there are truly beautiful people as well, the most generous and kind-hearted people I know. Their warm hospitality and seven smiling children make anyone feel at home. We are continually inspired by their stories of adopting precious children from around the world.
Amanda’s thoughtfulness extended to surprising me with serving an amazing flourless chocolate cake that she made just for our visit. Her oldest daughter helped her make some fresh whipping cream to serve alongside this decadent dessert. This combo of rich, gooey gluten-free chocolate cake and fluffy vanilla whipped cream, combined with the additions of thoughtfulness, surprise and friendship, made this the best dessert I enjoyed all year long. I left Matt and Amanda’s house that night with a big smile, a full tummy, an extra piece of cake to take home, and the recipe in hand!
When desserts are made with love, they taste even better!
Looking for more flourless desserts that’ll impress? Be sure to try my flourless chocolate cookies which is one of my favorite flourless dessert recipes. My gluten-free monster cookies are also flourless and delicious!
I’ve been eyeing this flourless black forest cake from my friend Jeanine for YEARS and definitely think it would impress guests and be delicious too!
I’m also in awe of this pavlova recipe and love all the many options for toppings!
If you make this flourless chocolate cake and love it, please come back and give this recipe a 5 star rating in the recipe card! Feel free to comment with tips or to share any successful substitutions you made.
Gluten-free Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe:
Flourless Chocolate Cake {Gluten-free}
The top of the flourless cake has an almost brownie-like texture and flavor, while the inside is super moist and fudgy. This is a great dessert choice for if you need to make a gluten-free dessert without having to buy special ingredients.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 6 Tbsp. salted butter, plus more for pan
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or chocolate chips)
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup sugar
Whipped Cream
- 1 1/4 c. heavy whipped cream
- 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Flourless cake:
- Preheat the oven to 275°. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan. Set aside.
- Place butter and chocolate in a large, microwaveable bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each 30 seconds, until completely melted. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk in egg yolks.
- In medium or large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in remaining egg whites.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
- Bake at 275° until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center, 45-50 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack; remove sides of pan.
HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM:
- To a mixing bowl, add the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and pure vanilla extract.
- Use the whisk attachment to beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- If not using right away, cover and chill until serving.
Slice cake and serve with the homemade whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Dairy-free adjustment: Use a dairy-free, buttery flavored substitute like Earth Balance sticks in this recipe. Note that I have not tried this yet, but think it will work! Also be sure your chocolate is dairy-free if needed.
Please note that if your springform pan is narrower than the 9" one I used, your cake will be much thicker, lofty, and will take longer to bake.
This recipe originally from Martha Stewart.
Pin this to your gluten-free desserts board on Pinterest:
I originally shared this recipe in February 2013, in my first year of blogging! Here’s an old photo from 2013:
@Devin Smith, mine was super lofty until I got it out of the oven. Then it crashed in itself. Not so pretty for the event I was bringing it to 😕
I have an 8.5 inch pan and 9.5 inch pan. Which do you think would be best? Is there an adjustment that I could make for one of those size pans that will ensure a favorable outcome?
I usually volunteer to help w/meals for our church members who are either new moms who need meal support for the first couple of weeks home w/a new baby, or are ill and just need the help. Yesterday I got the FIRST request that had these GF (and also dairy-free) restrictions on it. I could cope w/all of it but a dessert. I will be trying this either later today or tomorrow and will let you all know how my effort turns out! Thanks, as this looks very doable.
I accidentally omitted the egg yolks on my first attempt (it was late and my reading comprehension dropped off). My next attempt included the yolks. Both versions turned out pretty good. The biggest difference between the two was the one without yolks didn’t rise very much. The yolk version rose a little more, but they weren’t terribly different when it came to taste. My girlfriend enjoyed both versions with the egg-white only version tasting a little closer to a brownie batter than anything else. Thanks for sharing.
Very yummy and moist!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved it
What’s the best way to store this cake?
I just cover with some plastic wrap.
Made this for my friends and they loved it! I made it in a springform pan but it turned out to be only about 1/2 inch high so next time I will make it in a smaller pan. I substituted sweet and low for the sugar and it worked fine but that’s why it was a little thinner. Great recipe that I will make again!
My daughter in law just made this for me for Mother’s Day. I loved it. I did freeze 2 pieces to see how that worked. I took a piece out of the freezer last night and took a bite immediately. It tasted great cold! I took a second bite. Still same thought. But then I thought defrost it lightly in microwave and test. Oh my lightly warmed it was fabulous. So I have dubbed this the Triple Great Cake. I asked her for the recipe this am and she sent this link
Amazing! This is the first time I comment on a online recipe but it was fabulous. My sister is celiac meaning she can not eat gluten and I wanted to make a treat, and when I found this recipe I just tried it. It ended up amazingly. I am just 14 but I was able to make this easily. I definitely recommend it. Thank you so much.
@Vicente Costa, that’s amazing my friend can’t have gluten and ive been looking for recipes so we can bake together im 12 but ive been baking glad to hear that it is preety easy since i’m used to using flour
This cake was very light and delicious! Some guests used the whipped cream topping and others thought it was great without it. I definitely recommend this recipe for those who are gluten-free and others who like a lighter texture cake.
Will it keep outside for 3 days? (Without refrigeration)
No I wouldn’t recommend leaving this outside for 3 days.
@Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen,
Can you bake this a day ahead and leave out on counter?
Thanks!!
Yes you can!
I made this recipe for my neighbors who cannot have gluten. This is an incredible recipe! I read the previous comment about using a square pan so I did the same with a 9 inch square and they turned out to be light and flavor packed. The cracked top crust was light and delicious, all around perfect. Thank you so much for posting, this is definitely going to be a go-to I’m the future.
These are wonderful, thank you for sharing! I’m making these for an AWANA club (it’s a kids Bible club) event at our church and I know some of the kids can’t have gluten so I went looking for a good recipe and found this one. I baked it in a square glass pan and cut it up in little squares more like brownies. But they are SO good, I almost don’t want to share them! I’ll have to make another batch for my family! Thanks again!
That’s great! I’m so glad this recipe worked well for you and I love your idea of making it in a square pan and cutting up like brownies too! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe Judith!
I can’t wait to taste this… I am surprising my family with a sweet little dessert for Valentines Day. My daughter has Celiac and my son “hates” all things GF… LOL. Crossing my fingers that this cake is a hit all the way around.
Can you freeze this cake or will it keep for five days. Thanks
I’m unsure about freezing but no on it keeping for five days – it will get dried out.
Made this today and it was absolutely delicious! I would definitely recommend.
Do you think you could substitute Coconut Butter for the butter in the recipe? I don’t eat dairy, but would love to try the recipe. Thanks so much!!
Ashley,
I think coconut oil would probably work fine in this, though I haven’t tried it. Let me know if you try it!
I used 5 tbsp of coconut oil instead of 6 tbsp of butter. Turned out amazing. However, I had to bake my cake extra 10-15 minutes using toothpick test as a guide.
Thanks Elizabeth. I am just cooking this cake now for a dinner with my daughter who is gluten free and was wondering how to check for doneness.
Thanks also for the recipe. Haven’t tried it yet but it sure smells good.
I am soooooo making this! It’s a lot like my favorite brownie recipe which I love, except this looks more decadent! Thanks for sharing this Michelle!!!
I think you’ll love it Heather! Simple but super yummy, plus it will give you a gluten-free recipe in your repertoire in case you ever host someone that needs that!
Thank you for sharing these tasty and attractive GlutenFree recipes. It feels good to know I am not alone.
Thank you Rosalind for your sweet comment of thanks! I’m sorry I somehow missed the comment when you left it in July. It is good to know we’re not alone on this gluten-free journey that many of us didn’t choose!
Wow! I don’t even understand how this works, but it looks super tasty! My sister and a few friends can’t have gluten, so I’m always looking for great tasty recipes, I think this one makes the cut!
Kelly, it is so good! It would be perfect to make for your sister or your friends! Come back and let me know if you try it!
I’ve never made a flourless chocolate cake before and now I think I may need to try it. It looks simply divine. So rich and decadent. And the top “brownie” like consistency on the top has me craving chocolate for lunch today. It looks SO good!