This healthy Flourless Chocolate Cake is made with 5 simple ingredients and makes an impressive dessert to bring to a party. It’s rich & fudgy, and naturally gluten-free!
This cake recipe reminds me of a cross between brownies and fudge. It has a rich chocolate flavor, and everyone who tastes it will ask for the recipe!
You can top it with a dusting of powdered sugar or cacao powder, and serve it with fresh fruit for an easy dessert. No flour required.
Prefer a fluffier cake? Try my healthy birthday cake, chocolate almond flour cake, or coconut flour cake instead.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in a flourless chocolate cake?
- Dark chocolate chips
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar (I use coconut sugar)
- Cacao or cocoa powder
- Butter
This cake is very similar to the traditional version, only it’s made slightly healthier by using less overall sugar, for a dark chocolate flavor. My family enjoys grass-fed butter and pastured eggs, but you may also want to check out the substitution ideas below for a lower-fat dessert.
Tip: I use salted butter in this recipe, as I prefer the flavor it adds. If you use unsalted butter, you may want to add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt to this recipe, to boost the overall flavor. Sweet recipes need a little salt, too!
If you’d like another boost of flavor, you could also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or espresso powder, which can sometimes elevate the chocolate flavor even more.
Want to Make it Even Healthier?
I’ve been making this flourless chocolate cake for so many years, I’ve tried lots of substitutions.
Here are some things to try:
- Make it dairy-free. Swap the butter for a 1/3 cup coconut oil. This will give the cake a hint of coconut flavor, or you can use refined coconut oil (also called expeller pressed) which has no coconut flavor. Alternatively, you can use a vegan butter, if you prefer.
- Make it lower fat. Swap half of the butter for pumpkin puree. You can also do this with the coconut oil variation mentioned above. The pumpkin has a neutral flavor (unlike applesauce or banana, which I don’t recommend) so you won’t taste it at all. I don’t recommend swapping ALL of the fat for pumpkin puree, or the texture will change more significantly, but feel free to experiment with it.
- Make it egg-free. I don’t recommend using an egg substitute for this recipe, because the eggs provide most of the structure, but you can check out my vegan chocolate tart for a similar dessert made without eggs or dairy.
- Sweeten with honey. If you’d like to avoid all refined sugar, you can swap the dark chocolate chips for unsweetened baking chocolate and replace the coconut sugar with 3/4 cup honey, instead. I haven’t tested this recipe with maple syrup yet, so I couldn’t tell you if it will work with another sweetener.
- Reduce the sugar. I’ve tested this recipe with only 3/4 cup of coconut sugar, and it’s not quite sweet enough for my family when I use 72% dark chocolate chips as the base. However, if you use a sweeter dark chocolate (in the 50-60% range) you may be able to use less coconut sugar. Or, if you use semi-sweet chocolate, you may only need a 1/2 cup of added sugar. Feel free to experiment with it!
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
1. Melt the chocolate.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF so it will be ready to go, then place the chocolate chips and butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt them together using a double boiler over the stove (or the microwave, if you prefer) and stir until smooth.
I make a double boiler by filling a small saucepan with 1-inch of water, then bring it to a simmer and place the heat safe bowl on top of the pan. It should totally cover the top of the saucepan, so the bottom of the bowl will gently heat up.
Set the bowl aside to cool slightly, while you mix the other ingredients.
2. Mix.
In a large bowl, mix the coconut sugar, eggs, and cacao powder. Stir well, then add in the cooled melted chocolate. (You don’t want it to be too hot, or it could start to cook the eggs!)
Use cooking spray to grease an 8-inch springform pan lightly with oil, then pour the batter into the pan. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can also use a round cake pan lined with parchment paper, to help with easy removal later. (If you only have a 9-inch pan, that will work, too! It will simply produce a thinner cake and you can probably reduce the cook time by 2 minutes or so.)
3. Bake.
Bake the flourless cake at 375ºF for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cake feels firm to a light touch in the center. Let it cool completely in the pan, for at least 30 minutes before serving.
It will firm up even faster if you store it in the refrigerator, to help it cool down.
4. Serve.
Use a sharp knife to slice the cake into thin pieces (because it’s rich!) and serve it with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream, if you like. I think it pairs well with fresh raspberries, or any other fresh berries you like, to help cut some of the richness.
This cake should remove from the pan easily, but it may also slightly stick to the knife as you slice it. Be sure to wipe-down your knife in between slices, if you’d like to keep them looking pretty!
Prefer a frosted cake? It’s not necessary in this case, but you can add an easy vegan chocolate ganache on top, if you’d like.
Storage Tips: You can prepare this cake up to 2 days in advance, and keep it tightly covered in the fridge. Serve it chilled or let it come to room temperature for 1 hour, for the best flavor.
You can also store this flourless chocolate cake in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before serving it the next day.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dark chocolate chips (72% cacao content)
- 1/2 cup salted butter (see notes for variations)
- 1 cup coconut sugar (or other granulated sugar)
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF and grease an 8" springform pan with cooking spray.
- In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butter together, stirring until completely smooth. (You can use a double-boiler for this, or the microwave in 30-second intervals.) Set it aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut sugar, eggs, and cacao powder. Stir until smooth, then add in the cooled chocolate. (Make sure it's not too hot, so it doesn't start to cook the eggs.) Mix until smooth.
- Pour the chocolate batter into the greased pan and then bake at 375ºF until the center looks firm, about 20 to 22 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan completely. You can speed the process by placing it in the fridge to cool, if you need to serve it in under 2 hours. You can make this cake up to 2 days in advance and store it tightly covered in the fridge until you're ready to serve. I recommend bringing it to room temperature on the counter for at least 1 hour for the best flavor. Serve with shaved chocolate on top, for a pretty presentation, or a sprinkle of cacao powder or powdered sugar, if you prefer. You can also freeze this cake, tightly covered, for up to 3 months.
Notes
- 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 3/4 cup honey
- 4 eggs
Nutrition
If you try this gluten-free chocolate cake, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
I just made this and it’s so delicious – thanks for sharing. I ran out of honey so added in some maple syrup which worked well. I also had to cook for longer than 30 mins so next time will cook slightly higher temp. Going away today for a week so going to leave it in the freezer so it’s ready for our return (if we don’t eat the whole thing today!!)
I didn’t have a spring form on hand, so divvied the batter up into mini-cupcake liners, and they were done at 11 minutes at 375. I also used half coconut oil and half goat butter.
They turned out like little creamy fudge-brownie bites…. Absolutely divine, a very dangerous recipe! 🙂
I actually put half of them in the freezer to stall my husband and I gobbling them up too fast.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi, I read through the comments and didn’t see my question, so I hope I’m not repeating something you’ve already answered!! 🙂
I have completely changed my life as far as eating and exercise go. I eat clean and healthy and am trying to find great alternatives for my family to enjoy. This cake takes the cake. haha. :p
I don’t have a spring form, and I saw you mentioned these could be made as brownies, so I’m curious if it would be okay to put it in a dark glass 8×8 pyrex dish?? And if so, how long should I cook them? I saw others suggestions of raising the temp to 400 .. Any help would be really appreciated!
Thank you 🙂
So I greased pan with coconut oil and there is a crazy amount of smoke in the oven!!! Is that normal?
I don’t have a spring form pan so I will try this in a glass baking dish or I saw a heart shape pan that may be nice for valentines. Love the recipe.
I live in Malawi, Africa, a country that unfortunately has no baking chocolate. I made this cake using 12 tbspns of cocoa powder and 4 tbspns of butter in place of the chocolate and it turned out great! Thought I’d pass it on for those that find themselves without chocolate.
That’s so good to know! Thank you so much for posting from Africa! 🙂
Ho! Is that 4 tbspns of butter in addition to the half cup of butter or oil the recipe calls for? Thank you!
Hi*, I meant hi. Lol
Hi!!! Love your blog so much – you really have the best recipes! This cake is amazing – I adapted a few things and posted about it on my blog, just thought I would tell you because it really is soooo good!!!!! 🙂 thank you!!!
http://www.organicallyjahna.com/new-blog/2014/2/14/happy-valentines-day-3-flourless-chocolate-cake
forgot the link!
Hi! I just tried this with a lime fused Olive Oil instead of Coconut Oil, and it was amazing. So rich and decadent. Thank you for the recipe! I am going to try it with Orange fused Olive Oil very soon!
Do you know if you could substitute maple syrup for the honey with the same results?
Yes, I read another comment where someone said they didn’t have honey and used maple syrup instead with yummy results.
I can’t believe how good this is!!! never going to fall off the wagon with a sugary chocolate treat– i’ll make this instead!
I make this recipe about once a week and then bring it to whatever meeting I go to share (and I am guaranteed something I can nibble on).
There’s one thing I can’t seem to correct. The cake does a beautiful job of rising; I check that it’s firm in the middle before removing from the oven, and then as it cools it all sinks. When I leave it in longer, it starts to burn around the edges. Any suggestions (or maybe it’s supposed to do this…). Thank you for your wonderful recipe.
Most flourless cakes I’ve tried sink in the middle– I think it’s just the nature of the dessert. However, you might try lowering the oven temperature and baking longer to see if that helps at all.
Could I use ghee instead of butter?
This cake is amazing and easy I whip up!! It’s so rich delicious! One slice satisfies any sweet tooth!! I’m making it for the second time this week!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I put two ripe bananas through my omega juicer and substituted this for the honey to make it nearly sugar free and added 8 drops of stevia. Also added a pinch of salt. Yum!!!!
Thank you for this amazing & tasty recipe! My mom has had a few back surgeries and is trying to get the down time weight off, I have always made special fun cakes for special occasions but wanted something that would be tasty and a little healthier. This was perfect! I jazzed it up and added walnuts, topped with mashed mixed berries, and made rose strawberry to top it off! Turned out spectacular! I’ve included a link to the picture of how it turned out! Thank you!!
http://pinterest.com/pin/25614291605674436/?utm_source=android_share
I tried this today and although it did not come out of the pan easily, it still tasted yummy! I have a few questions…should the eggs be whisked before being added to the mixture, or does it make a difference? My cake was firm in the middle, but also very wet looking. I took it out early since I was afraid it would burn. I think I will leave it in longer next time.
Hi Megan,
Thank you for recipe will try it tonight for my husband’s bday 😀 hope it turns out as good as urs or half as good. any tips for the first time experiment? can i add olive oil instead of coconut oil?
I think olive oil has a pretty strong flavor, so you might be able to taste it in this cake. I prefer to stick to coconut oil or real butter, as they both help the cake solidify when it cools, too.
Ok I tried it last night. N it turned out just amazing. I add butter and olive oil so there is no taste of it in the cake. Thank you so much for the recipe my husband thinks it’s a masterpiece and I couldn’t agree more 🙂
what is grass-fed butter
It’s butter made from milk from cows that were fed grass..therefore much healthier and nutrient dense
Could you use chocolate chips instead of the baking chocolate?
Tried it with choc chips last night, turned out very good, but definetly buying some bakers chocolate to try for next time. Also, unfortunently I burnt it a bit. And it had been in for 26 min. ( I set the timer for 22, but was in the middle of putting daughter to bed so I couldn’t run out and grab it, lol ) even so, it was very hard to stop eating! Very good!
Oh wow, this looks amazing and sounds so simple!! Definitely on my list of things to try!
Wow!! Just made this, but tweaked it to suit my tastes after reading a few comments. I used Old Gold 70% Dark Chocolate, 1/4 cup of coconut oil, 1/4 cup of homemade sugar-free apple sauce, 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup of Natvia. I divided the batter into 3 mini round springform tins (10cm diameter). My hubby and I ate 1 mini cake between us still warm for dessert, and the other 2 are in the freezer. Tastes sooooo good!! Next time I’m going to use Lindt 85% Dark Chocolate and 1/4tsp of vanilla stevia as a bit of extra flavour and sweetness, maybe add a few fresh mint leaves. So nice to have a cake that’s healthy!!
This recipe is a hit! I have made it multiple times as cupcakes for pot lucks and birthdays and everyone loves it.I whip the eggs first then add the ingredients. I added 1/4tsp of baking soda to fluff it. Finish with a light dusting of icing sugar for presentation.
Used myfitness app to determine nutritional value. Following the recipie exactly, below are the details per thin slice:(1/16 of the cake)
Calories: 171
Fat: 10.5
Cholesterol: 35
Sodium: 38.5
Potassium: 20.7
Carbs: 10.5
Protein: 2.9
Iron: 7.1
What is the sugar amount?
I made this for my birthday. Followed the recipe to the T and within 10 minutes the whole top of the cake was a burnt black mess!! I was so sad. Any thoughts as to why?? It seems the honey just burned like crazy. I want to try again. I love all of your other recipes I have tried!!
I will try substituting applesauce as you suggested for the butter or coconut oil. Way too much bad fat in coconut oil! I will let you know in a week how it turns out.
Hi!
Im making this cake tonite, will use coconut sugar instead of honey, but Id like to make it sugar free, anybody knows how much stevia? liquid or powder? I have no experience baking with stevia.
thank you!
Lourdes
What about maple syrup or brown rice syrup in lieu of honey? Equal amounts?
Thank for the advice! U sully i use honey, maple or coconut sugar, but when im cutting on sugar and still want to have a sweet treat I thin stevia is tyne best option out there. I have baked with it following a recipe but for this one I have no clue and wouldn’t like to mess it up…
Is the cocoa powder sweetened or unsweetened?
It’s unsweetened.
I tried this with flax eggs since I am allergic to all things eggs, and it came out so gooey. It tasted good but gooey. I also used my own homemade coconut sugar syrup in the place for honey because it won’t raise my blood sugar like honey does. Anyway, that could be also why this was so super gooey! I think next I will try different baking egg alternatives and less coconut syrup or replace with maple syrup. Whenever I use coconut oil for baking I also get a lot of it that doesn’t cook in and just liquefies on the top. Any idea why?
I made this for Thanksgiving, it was incredible! I want to make it for Christmas, do you think it would be okay to add some peppermint extract? If so, how much would you suggest? Thanks!
Is there anyway to sub the cocoa powder. I don’t have any, but really want to make this
Can I substitute applesauce for the honey> Should it be the 1:1 ratio? Also, what’s the calories count?
Thanks,
Kate.
This is going to be made sooner rather than later! Thanks for making it healthier!
I made it last weekend. It’s amazing!
I don’t have an 8 inch spring form pan. What other size pan can i use?
parchment paper to line your pan!
Hi megan all your recipes are amazing . But i prefere to use cacao or cocoa its healthier i believe than chocolate ? Can i substitue ? And what is the ratio ? Thanks a lot
I personally use them interchangeably, so I wouldn’t change the ratio.
So instead of 4oz of chocolate it’s ok to use 4oz of cacao or cocoa powder?
Hi I have a few questions and would love if u could let me know what u think:-
1. can I add coffee to give the cake a coffee-ish flavour.
2. And if so would I need to replace the cocoa powder with coffe
3. and does coffee flavour enhance or reduce or stay the same after baking
4. Finally should I use instant coffee or Brewed coffee
Thanks in advance 🙂
I would keep the recipe as is and add 1tsp-1T instant espresso powder. Hope this helps!
I have made this a couple of times… the recipe seems pretty versatile. I’ve added crushed cacao nibs each time and plum butter once, cinnamon and cayenne once and natural peanut butter. The peanut butter one turned out more like a giant cookie than a cake but I think it was because I put more cacao nibs in. Next time I think I’ll substitute the cocoa powder for crushed cacao nibs. My goal is to make this into a breakfast cake of sorts lol… individually each of the ingredients could technically be part of a breakfast food right? 🙂
Hi Megan
Can I use cacao butter instead of grass feb butter I can’t find it and I think that coconut oil will have a more coconut pronounced taste
Please can u let me know
Thanks a lotttt
Soo my SO and I just tried making this tonight. Added all the ingredients, whisked them together well…but it came out with scrambled egg bits throughout the cake. Do you need to have an electric mixer to make this work? Or separate the whites and yolks and beat them before mixing in? helpppp meeee
The cake bits around the egg were super tasty, though.
when adding the hot melted chocolate to the cocoa, honey and eggs..you have to add very little and whisk at the same time. Pretty much let it stream slowly into the egg mixture and slowly incorporate otherwise just pouring the hot chocolate into the egg mixture will make scrambled eggs. It’s called tempering. There are many youtube videos that can show you how to temper. good luck!
I just made this. I used 4 eggs (instead of 3) & used pure maple syrup instead of honey. DELISH!!! The extra egg makes the cake rise more.
I just made this. It’s delicious. It tastes like brownies. I’m making this for our thanksgiving dinner too. I think I’m going to add some chocolate chips though and will use 70% dark chocolate instead for everyone’s liking.
Thank you for a great recipe. It is a Father’s day here in Thailand today and my dad is a diabetic so I was searching for a cake recipe with no flour and no sugar dessert and your blog came up at the top of the page so I gave it a try. I halved the recipe and use Frey’s dark chocolate because it’s all I have. I substituted honey with maple syrup (I only use 50 g. of it) with 5 drops of vanilla stevia and topped with macadamia nuts. The result comes out so great. Love the richness and the texture. This is a keeper and I will sure make a full recipe next time. Thank you!!!!
I have been on an all natural, organic, non-GMO diet but LOVE chocolate. So in an attempt to be able to enjoy my favorite things i made this cake and it was AMAZING. My family loved it, even chose to eat it over a whole foods cheesecake (which is delicious). Super easy and quick to make.
Looks amazing.. Would love to try this with coconut oil, cause I’m sure it’ll be amazing with butter. 🙂
I love love love this recipe! I’ve made it 4 times so far with coconut oil. What I love even more is after making the cake I make little balls out of it, put in freezer till cold, then roll in melted dark chocolate. I then keep the little bites in the freezer for a little treat.
I never had a flourless cake before. I made this today and I like it! Next time I will try it with espresso powder!!
This truly is a keeper of a recipe. I use coconut oil and maple syrup. It’s a pretty simpe and resilient recipe; lesser experienced cooks need to be reminded to let the chocolate cool a little before whisking with eggs to avoid the scrambled egg effect. My VERY health conscious daughter devours this cake, as does pretty much anyone who gets introduced to it. It’s delicious with a cashew cream drizzled on top!!
Very strong chocolate taste…and I love chocolate Next time I will omit the cocoa powder and add some stevia. Delicious!
Subbed out a quarter of the sweetener with stevia. I’m happy with it but want it for low carb company, doesn’t meet my standards, has that stevia aftertaste. I’m sure it’s best with full sugar. The texture is to die for, very chocolatey and smooth. Will keep this recipe. Want to try those dipped balls as suggested by someone, that sounds heavenly, like a truffle.
We made this cake in an effort to have a low sugar dessert. It was so bitter that we had to cover it in ice cream and hot fudge
Hi! I just made this for thanksgiving for my Gluten free family. It was great! I did end up using 4 eggs, 1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup maple syrup but the rest of the recipe was the same. I will be making this again! Thanks!!