Chocolate Flourless Fallen Cake
With a crackly meringue crust and gooey chocolate center, this flourless chocolate cake is the best holiday treat—not too heavy, it’s the perfect dessert to round off Christmas dinner and is always a crowd-pleaser!
It’s become an unspoken tradition at my house to have at least two desserts at Christmas and Thanksgiving, one chocolatey and one fruity. I think you can guess what recipe we’ve been using for the chocolate side (hint: it’s this one)!
Besides being gluten-free, this cake is just fun to make! Once pulled out of the oven, it will begin to deflate, creating that beautiful, crackled top with a fudgy center.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Besides being gluten-free, this cake is made of only 7 ingredients!
- Semisweet chocolate. If you like a darker or sweeter chocolate, feel free to use that instead.
- Butter. To give a richer flavor and moist texture.
- Eggs. All the leavening in this recipe comes from the whipped egg whites—this is what gives it its trademark crackly top and light interior (similar to meringue).
- Sugar. To sweeten the cake and stabilize the whipped egg whites.
- Cocoa powder. To absorb water and flavor the cake.
- Vanilla. Enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Salt. To balance and enhance the taste of the cake.
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Make a ganache. We’ll start by melting together the chocolate and butter (the ganache), then pour it into a bowl of whisked eggs, cocoa powder, and sugar.
- Make a meringue. This is the most time-consuming part, since you’ll be whipping eggs and sugar to firm peaks. By whisking egg whites, you incorporate air into them, and since this recipe uses no leavener, the air in the egg whites is what will make the cake puff and rise.
- Make the batter. The cake batter comes together when you fold the egg whites into the chocolate and egg yolks. By gently folding the two together, you prevent too much air from being knocked out, yielding a well-risen cake.
- Bake. Now that the batter is ready, pour it into the pan and bake!
What to Serve with Flourless Chocolate Cake?
There are countless options, but here’s what I suggest:
- Whipped cream.
- Ice cream.
- Macerated berries or jam.
- Toasted nuts.
- Chocolate sauce.
- A dusting of powdered sugar.
Flourless Chocolate Cake FAQ
- What sized pan should I use? This recipe allows you to use either an 8” pan or a 9” pan. If you go for the 8”, the cake will be thicker, so use a tin that’s tall (around 3 inches). If you go for a 9” pan, the cake will be thinner.
- How do I know when the egg whites are done whipping? We’re whipping the egg whites to firm peaks (look up a picture online for a visual guide). When you lift the whisk out of the bowl, the egg whites should be semi-stiff and mostly tip over. You don’t want to whip the whites to really stiff peaks, otherwise it will be difficult to fold them into the ganache.
- How do I know when it’s done baking? The cake will be puffy and jiggly in the middle, but the top will look dry and set. Whatever you do, don’t overbake it!
- Can I make the cake ahead? You can, but the texture will be different. When eaten warm from the oven, the cake will have a more souffle-like texture since it hasn’t completely collapsed. Once completely cool, the cake will take on a fudgier texture, almost like a light brownie.
Chocolate Flourless Fallen Cake
With a crackly meringue crust and gooey chocolate center, this flourless chocolate cake is the best holiday treat—not too heavy, it's the perfect dessert to round off Christmas dinner and is always a crowd-pleaser!
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Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter cubed
- 6 eggs separated
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder either dutch-processed or unsweetened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease an 8'' or 9'' metal baking pan. Crumple a sheet of parchment paper and line the tin. If you have them, use metal clips to hold the paper to the sides of the pan.
- In a bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate (alternatively, you could do this in the microwave in short bursts of 20-30 seconds). Once mostly melted, add in the cubed butter, stirring until glossy and smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, place 2 full eggs and 4 egg yolks into a bowl. Whisk in ½ cup granulated sugar, the cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Add in the cooled chocolate (it's okay if it's slightly warm), and stir until combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whip the remaining 4 egg whites with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Once the egg whites are frothy and broken up, gradually pour in the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar, waiting until the sugar is incorporated after every addition.
- Whisk the egg whites until you have achieved firm peaks; it should hold its shape but not be fully stiff.
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold two large spoonfuls of meringue into the chocolate mixture until mostly combined. Carefully add the rest of the meringue to the chocolate mixture, folding gently until the batter is almost fully blended (a few streaks are fine).
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan (do not tap it on the counter) and remove the metal clips. Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes, until it is puffy, cracked, and risen. The top should look dry and set, and the middle will slightly jiggle.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan before lifting it from the tin and serving. It will sink and crack the more it sits.
