You’ll absolutely love this easy recipe for Flourless Chocolate Cake with a decadent chocolate ganache topping! It’s made without flour, creating a dense and silky chocolate experience that you’ll be proud to serve for special occasions or to treat yourself any time of the year.
If you’d like to make something extra special for a true chocolate lover, then this Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache is the perfect recipe for you to try. This is an unabashedly decadent, rich, delightful chocolate cake. And it’s flourless!
Now, if you’ve never had a flourless cake before, you may be surprised that it doesn’t look like a traditional cake. That’s because there’s no leavening in the recipe and, therefore, nothing (except the eggs) to make it rise.
The result is a dense chocolate cake where the texture is similar to a very fudgy brownie but even better! You won’t even miss the flour. I promise. And this is a fantastic dessert for anyone following a gluten-free diet.
Even though this is a small 8″ cake, because of its richness, it easily serves 12. You may add a little dollop of softly whipped cream if you like, but I typically serve it as is – especially when I’m serving real chocolate lovers!
Besides being just about the perfect chocolate dessert, it’s really quick and easy to make. You don’t even have to get out a mixer!
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven/Microwave
Total Time: 35 Minutes
Servings: 12
Primary Ingredient(s): Semisweet chocolate chips, butter, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, heavy whipping cream
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s made in one bowl without a mixer, meaning the clean-up is super easy.
- A perfect dessert for when you need something “fancy” but don’t have a lot of time.
- The chocolate ganache topping is made in the microwave.
- The ganache can also be used in lots of other recipes like this Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake
- It’s a small cake, but so rich and it can easily serve twelve people.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“Oh my heavens! This is so divine, I am completely in love with this dessert! And I am not saying that as in, “this is good for a gluten free thing” I am saying it is awesome with zero qualifiers.”
— Donna
Ingredient Notes
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For the Cake
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips — The slightly bitter flavor of semi-sweet chocolate is one of the ways this cake is taken to the next level.
- Eggs — Provide stability and a slight lift to the cake layer.
- Butter –The main fat component in the cake and a contributor to richer flavor.
- Cocoa powder — Adds another layer of chocolate flavor.
- Instant coffee — Coffee adds richness and is often used to enhance the flavor of chocolate.
For the Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate chips — One of the reasons ganache is dense is because of the melted chocolate that is suspended in the cream.
- Heavy whipping cream — The essential basis of ganache which holds the melted chocolate in suspension.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How I Make Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease an 8” round cake pan. Cut a circle of wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan. Insert the wax paper and grease it as well.
Make the Cake
- Place 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds until the butter is melted.
- Stir until the chocolate chips melt and combine with the butter.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, coffee, and vanilla.
A note about the coffee – I used one .07-ounce packet of instant coffee crystals in this recipe. The packets come five to a box for just about $1 and keep really well on the shelf. One packet is a teaspoon of instant coffee. If you want a more pronounced mocha flavor in your cake, you could use two packets but I think one is just perfect.
- Switch to a whisk and whisk in the eggs until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder and whisk again just until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes. The top will form a thin crust.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a sharp, thin knife. Invert onto a serving plate (note: the edges may crackle a bit). Allow the cake to cool completely before proceeding.
Make the Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat until the cream is hot but not bubbling.
- Stir until the chocolate chips melt and the mixture is very smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, spreading just to the edges.
- Allow the ganache to set for several hours (refrigerated or not) until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
- Top with fresh berries and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Add a flavored homemade whipped cream on top (brandy is especially nice in whipped cream).
- Sprinkle on some edible gold dust.
- Drizzle on a little homemade berry coulis.
Recipe Success Tips
- Make sure the eggs are at room temperature. Mixing hot and cold ingredients can cause the texture to change.
- Because this is a dense cake, it’s important not to overbake.
- Be sure to sift the cocoa powder to remove any lumps.
- When microwaving the ganache, cook in no more than 20- to 30-second intervals to prevent burning.
- The better the chocolate, the better the taste of the finished cake. This is the time to splurge on high-quality chocolate.
Questions About Flourless Chocolate Cake
Coffee is a traditional flavor enhancer for chocolate desserts. It adds a layer of flavor and richness that compliments the chocolate very well. You can leave it out, but it’s so much better with it. (Note: my husband does not drink coffee. Ever. He thinks it’s vile. However, he loves chocolate desserts that have a tiny bit of coffee added.)
Besides being suitable for people who cannot, or choose not to, eat wheat flour, it’s just dang delicious. When making a cake without flour, there’s also no leavening other than eggs to give lift to the layer. The result is a dense, fudgy cake that is decadent and more satisfying to the palate than fluffy cake recipes.
Yes. You’ll need to freeze the cake without its ganache topping. Make sure that the cake is completely cooled. It can be frozen whole or cut and wrapped in individual slices. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place in a freezer-safe container. Store for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve, allow the cake to thaw, top with freshly made ganache, berries, or whipped cream (or all three!).
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
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Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease an 8” round cake pan. Cut a circle of wax paper to fit bottom of the pan. Insert the wax paper and grease it as well.
- Place 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter in a medium sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds, until the butter is melted. Stir until the chocolate chips melt and combine with the butter.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, coffee, and vanilla.
- Switch to a whisk and whisk in the eggs until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder and whisk just until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the pan. Bake for 25 minutes. The top will form a thin crust.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a sharp, thin knife. Invert onto a serving plate (note: the edges may crackle a bit). Allow the cake to cool completely before proceeding.
Make the ganache:
- Combine the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat until the cream is hot but not bubbling.
- Stir until the chocolate chips melt and the mixture is very smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, spreading just to the edges.
- Allow the ganache to set for several hours (refrigerated or not) until ready to serve.
Notes
- Notes on the coffee – I use one .07 ounce packet of instant coffee crystals in this recipe. One packet is a teaspoon of instant coffee.
- When microwaving the ganache, cook in no more than 20 to 30 second intervals to prevent burning.
- Keeps well at room temperature for up to three days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on February 9, 2016. It has been updated with additional information.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
This may be a dumb question; but – would this be considered gluten free?? I am allergic to chocolate but would love to make for a friend who is not LOL
Not a dumb question at all! Most chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and instant coffee brands are gluten free, but you should check the labels to be absolutely sure. All the other ingredients are gluten free for sure.
Can you use Splenda in place of sugar ?
I haven’t tested this recipe using Splenda.
Perfect every time! This is our go to recipe for a quick and decadent dessert! 💟💟💟💟. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Gayle! Glad to know it’s a hit at your home.
Have made several times and delicious every time. It is very rich so I always serve with homemade whipped cream.
Oh my heavens! This is so divine, I am completely in love with this dessert! And I am not saying that as in, “this is good for a gluten free thing” I am saying it is awesome with zero qualifiers.
Add a little homemade ice cream and you have something completely irresistible.
I wish I could post s picture, we added a little mint and sliced strawberry, with the vanilla ice cream along side, it certainly looks as nice as any restaurant dessert.
Thanks, Donna! I’m so glad you liked it. It’s a favorite here as well.
Hi, this looks great! could you help me convert the 2 cups of chocolate chips to grams / ounces?
Here’s what I found on a quick Google search. “When measuring chocolate chips from ounces to cups, the easiest conversion to remember is that 1 cup of chocolate chips equals 6 ounces. This means that a 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips is the equivalent of 2 cups. Depending on the size of the chocolate chips, the weight might vary slightly between 5.9 ounces and 6.2 ounces of chocolate chips per cup, but these insignificant differences will not affect a recipe.”
I found the information at https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-convert-ounces-of-chocolate-chips-to-cups/
This recipe looks absolutely AMAZING!! I want to try it so so badly. Thanks for the suggestion, it looks amazing. Will try to make this with the girlfriend this weekend!
I want to dig my fork right in!
Lana, this looks so delicious. I may have to try to create this instead of art journaling! :D
If you like chocolate, Kathleen, you’ll really enjoy this recipe! Make it and then draw it in your art journal :-)
Lana, I was just reading a “tip” from one of the big food mags the other day saying not to attempt ganache with chocolate chips because it won’t turn out right because of the ingredient added to the chocolate to make the chips hold their shape. I said “Bah humbug” because I’ve done it many times! And your scrumptious looking photos prove that there is nothing wrong with the texture of this ganache!
Wow. Well, I’ve made ganache many, many times and always use chocolate chips. No problem at all as you can see from the photos above! What did they say you should use instead?
They said you must use chopped chocolate. Like I said, “Bah humbug!”
I totally agree with you! Bah humbug.
Wow! That looks AMAZING!! I may have to break out the mixer!
Miss P
No mixer needed! Just a spoon and a whisk :-)