Flourless Chocolate Cake

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.  Flourless

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine.
  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
  6. 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.
  7. Remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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

  1. Melt chocolate & butter in the microwave on 30% power until smooth.
  2. Pour onto the underside of a baking pan using an offset spatula to spread the chocolate thin as possible.
  3. 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.
  4. Once curled, place the pan back in the fridge until ready to use. Transfer the curls to your dessert using a spatula.

SIP885831.jpg.rendition.largest.ss

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Leave a Reply