A simple and delicious flourless chocolate cake recipe (with just 5 ingredients) suitable for celiacs or gluten free diets. Freezes well too.
I made this cake at least 6 times last year. It's a real winner!
I've come across so many gluten-free cake recipes over the years that are complicated, or they taste like they're gluten-free (you know what I mean!) or they have fancy ingredients you have to shop around for.
Not this one!
Honestly I'm obsessed. It's a dangerous one to have leftovers of.
Why make this recipe
- Allergy friendly but still delicious - gluten-loves won't even notice that it's gluten-free. I would choose it over a regular chocolate cake any day!
- Simple to make - the hardest part is probably separating the eggs.
- Great for any occasion - just as good as a fancy dessert or an afternoon tea cake.
- Just 5 ingredients - no fancy gluten-free flours required.
Ingredients
There are only 5 ingredients in this recipe:
- Good quality dark chocolate - the chocolate has a big impact on the taste so go for the good stuff.
- Butter - chopped
- Eggs - separated
- Caster sugar
- Almond meal - also called almond flour
Instructions
Step 1
Measure out your ingredients.
Step 2
Pre-heat the oven to 160C/320F fan-forced and grease and line a 22cm spring-form cake tin.
Step 3
Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. I know this is cake 101 but be very careful not to get any egg yolk in the whites or they won't whip.
I dropped the fifth yolk right in the middle of mine. Thankfully it stayed whole and I could scoop it out.
Step 4
Over a medium heat, melt the butter and chocolate together until it's silky smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool slightly.
Step 5
While the chocolate mixture is cooling, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Step 6
The egg whites will hold their shape.
Step 7
Stir the egg yolks, almond meal and sugar into the chocolate mixture until combined.
Step 8
Using a spatula (not like me!) gently fold in a little of the egg white.
Step 9
Then fold the rest through until it is just combined.
Step 10
Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour 5 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 11
Cool the cake completely in the tin then run a knife around the edges before removing the tin
Step 12
Serve dusted with icing sugar.
Serving
Here are two of my favourite ways to serve this flourless chocolate cake:
- Serve warmed with cream and berries.
- Serve at room temperature dusted with icing sugar.
Storage
Store the cake in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This cake can also be made in advance and frozen. To do this, wrap in plastic wrap and then in aluminium foil.
Take it out of the freezer a day before and thaw in the fridge over night.
FAQs
Sometimes gluten-free cakes taste different to regular cakes but truthfully this gluten free chocolate cake is better than most regular chocolate cakes.
Yes you can. We've used raw sugar for this recipe with delicious results. Rapadura sugar works well too but the cake will be a little drier.
You can make it up to 2 days in advance or make it ahead of time and freeze.
Looking for a nut-free, gluten-free chocolate cake recipe? Check out our kidney bean chocolate cake.
Recipe
5 Ingredient flourless chocolate cake
Ingredients
- 200 g 7oz good quality dark chocolate
- 150 g 5oz butter, chopped
- 5 eggs separated
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 1 ½ cup almond meal
- icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F degrees fan forced. Grease and line the base of a 22cm round spring-form pan.
- Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and combined. Cool slightly, then pour into a bowl.
- Stir in the egg yolks, sugar and almond meal. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form. Using a spatula, fold about a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture then add the rest and fold until just combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the cake tin.
- Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes or until cooked - a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the tin then run a knife around the edge before removing the cake from the tin. Dust with icing sugar to serve.
JD says
HI, I made this today and used my convection feature. It only took 35 minutes to cook. I'm so glad I kept an eye on it. 65 minutes would have been a disaster.
Joan
Claire says
Hi Joan. Ooh yes there can be quite a variation between fan forced and convection. Good thing you kept an eye on it! I hope you liked it!
The Life of Clare says
Yum! I really must give this one a go!
Claire says
It's so good Clare especially with your fresh eggs!
Jess C says
oohh i tried this today for the chocoholics at work... it was such a success and really easy!! i have people lining up for the last slice :)
Claire says
I'm glad you liked it Jess. It's a great recipe that one.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
That looks fabulous! And I feel your pain about the egg yolk, the same happened to me and I ever so carefully ladled it out. I think I stopped breathing lol.
Celia says
Beautiful looking cake, Claire! Isn't it lovely when recipes are so reliable that you can make them time and again, and they always turn out perfectly? I love that.. :)
Claire says
Thanks Celia! Yes having never-fail recipes to fall back on is great.