One of the young women I work with has a birthday today. Since she likes to eat gluten-free. I decided to make a Flourless Chocolate Cake. My “go to” for recipes is America’s Test Kitchen, so I pulled a couple of recipes from online and made one. I don’t know if I did not follow the directions perfectly or what, but it looked awful and all the butter in it melted to the bottom of the pan in a big goo. That baby hit the trash.
Luckily I bought extra chocolate and made King Arthur’s version as it had received five starts. It looks pretty darn good. 
This flourless cake, featuring both chocolate and cocoa is RICH! A chocolate ganache glaze takes it over the top. Since it contains neither flour nor leavening, it’s perfect for Passover and those following a gluten-free diet.
Cake
- 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process cocoa preferred
Glaze
- 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8″ round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment to fit, grease it, and lay it in the bottom of the pan. See “tips,” below.
- To make the cake: Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips melt, reheating briefly if necessary. You can do this over a burner set at a very low heat. Transfer the melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, espresso powder, and vanilla. Espresso enhances chocolate’s flavor much as vanilla; using 1 teaspoon will simply enhance the flavor, while 2 teaspoons will lend a hint of mocha to the cake.
- Add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for 25 minutes; the top will have formed a thin crust, and it should register at least 200°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into its center.
- Remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Loosen the edges of the pan with a table knife or nylon spreader, and turn it out onto a serving plate. The top will now be on the bottom; that’s fine. Also, the edges will crumble a bit. Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.
- To make the glaze: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is very hot, but not simmering. Remove from the microwave, and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth.
- Spoon the glaze over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.
- Yield: 8″ cake, 8 to 12 servings.
Tips from our bakers
- You line your pan with wax paper instead of parchment. While wax paper shouldn’t be exposed to direct oven heat, it’s fine when used between cake batter and pan.
- If desired, garnish cake with 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350°F oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. I used Chocolate Curls described below.
- For cleanest slicing, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry. Repeat dipping knife in hot water and wiping dry for each slice.
I added chocolate curls and yellow M & M’s since the Birthday Girl hates yellow. Thought it might be funny.
How to Make Chocolate Curls
Ingredients
- 2 oz semisweet chocolate
- 2 teaspoons butter (or shortening)
Instructions
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Melt chocolate & butter in the microwave on 30% power until smooth.
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Pour onto the underside of a baking pan using an offset spatula to spread the chocolate thin as possible.
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Place in the freezer for 3-4 minutes or until firm. Using a spatula or scraper, scrape the chocolate off the pan and make curls. If the chocolate begins to soften too much, pop it back into the freezer for a couple of minutes.
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Once curled, place the pan back in the fridge until ready to use. Transfer the curls to your dessert using a spatula.
