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Oh, my goodness, when a serious chocolate craving hits, you need something that satisfies that deep, intense need, right? Forget light and airy; we’re talking about pure, dark indulgence. That’s why I’m thrilled to share what has become my absolute go-to for celebrations: the Rich, Easy, One-Bowl Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache. This recipe is naturally gluten-free!
When I was building this site after too many years fueled by takeout, I wanted a dessert sturdy enough for a dinner party but simple enough for a Tuesday night. This marvelous flourless chocolate cake delivers that incredible fudgy texture we all dream about. It truly tastes like a million bucks but comes together so fast, often in just one bowl. It reminds me of the best moments in my grandmother’s kitchen—taking simple things and making them extraordinary. Trust me, this will become your favorite dessert shortcut!
- Why This Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe is a Keeper
- Gathering Ingredients for Your Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Mastering the Easy Chocolate Recipe: How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Tips for the Best Flourless Cake Experience
- Serving Suggestions for Your Decadent Dessert Ideas
- Storage and Reheating for Your Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Frequently Asked Questions About This Easy Chocolate Recipe
- Estimated Nutritional Data for This Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Share Your Rich Chocolate Cake Creations
Why This Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe is a Keeper
I get asked all the time which of my baking recipes is the easiest while still feeling super fancy for company. Hands down, it’s this one. You get all the intensity of a bakery-quality chocolate experience right out of your own oven with minimal fuss. That’s why I keep coming back to it for birthdays and last-minute gatherings.
- It’s naturally gluten-free, which makes serving guests so much easier when you want to be sure everyone can enjoy the indulgence.
- You don’t need any fancy equipment—seriously, just one bowl for the main batter!
- It bakes up wonderfully without needing a tricky water bath, which is a huge win when I’m rushing around the kitchen.
Perfect Texture Every Time
What I love most is the final result. It sets up into the most glorious, dense, and fudgy consistency. If you’re looking for that truly luxurious mouthfeel, you’ve found your winner. This is the definition of a Fudgy Chocolate Dessert that melts right on your tongue. The structure comes purely from the eggs and the high quantity of melted chocolate, which is just magical!
Simple Steps for a Decadent Dessert Ideas
Don’t let the deep flavor fool you; this is one of the quickest recipes I have. Because we skip the flour entirely, it’s a genuine One Bowl Chocolate Cake situation for the base. Even the ganache is mostly hands-off while the cake cools. It proves that spectacular desserts don’t need complicated, multi-step processes. That’s the beauty of a good flourless chocolate cake!
Gathering Ingredients for Your Flourless Chocolate Cake
Okay, now for the exciting part: making sure we have everything ready! Remember, since this is a flourless chocolate cake, every ingredient really has to pull its weight. If you skimp on the chocolate quality here, you’ll definitely taste it in the final product! For this Rich Chocolate Cake to shine, quality in your chocolate is just non-negotiable for me.
We have two simple lists: the main cake batter, which relies on those beautiful cocoa solids, and the luscious ganache finish. Grab high-quality dark chocolate—I always try to aim for 70% cacao or higher if I can!
For the Rich Chocolate Cake Base
- 8 ounces high-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), chopped
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Dark Chocolate Ganache Topping
This is the glossy, decadent finish that turns this simple bake into a showstopper. It’s what makes it a true Dark Chocolate Ganache Cake!
- 1 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for ganache)
Mastering the Easy Chocolate Recipe: How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
Alright, let’s get down to the business of baking this magic! Since this is such a straightforward flourless chocolate cake, the key isn’t complicated steps; it’s about following the rhythm. We want that deep, rich chocolate dissolving perfectly before we introduce any air. This recipe is designed to be fuss-free, but paying attention to temperature and mixing order is what separates a good dessert from the absolute best one you’ve ever made.
Preparation and Melting the Chocolate for the Flourless Chocolate Cake
First things first: always start with a preheated oven! Set yours to 350°F (175°C). While that heats up, prep your 8-inch springform pan. Grease it well, and then cut a circle of parchment paper for the bottom—this ensures zero sticking trouble later. Next, we melt. Place your chopped dark chocolate and all that lovely butter into a heatproof bowl. Set this bowl right over a saucepan that has a little bit of simmering water—that’s our double boiler method. Stir gently until everything is totally smooth and glossy. Once it’s melted, take it off the heat right away and give it about five minutes to relax before we do anything else.
Mixing the Batter: Creating the Fudgy Chocolate Dessert
Once the chocolate mixture has cooled just a tiny bit—you don’t want to scramble those eggs!—it’s time for the sugars. Whisk in the granulated and brown sugar until they are friendly with the chocolate. Now for the eggs, one by one. When adding eggs, I make sure each one is fully emulsified before adding the next; this prevents a curdled look and keeps the batter smooth. After all five eggs are in and happy, stir in the vanilla and salt. Don’t go crazy overmixing here; we aren’t beating air in for a light sponge, we are combining everything for that dense, Fudgy Chocolate Dessert!
Baking and Cooling the Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Pour that glorious batter into your prepared pan. You’ll pop this into the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. I look for the edges to appear nicely set, almost firm, but the center should still look a little soft or wobbly when you gently nudge the pan. This is crucial for that melt-in-your-mouth result! When it comes out, this is where you need patience: let it cool completely on a wire rack in the pan. It *will* sink a little in the middle as it cools down—this is completely normal for any spectacular flourless chocolate cake, so don’t panic! If you want to see another amazing chocolate recipe, check out my Flourless Chocolate Torte.
Finishing with the Silky Dark Chocolate Ganache
While the cake gets nice and cool, we make our topping. Heat the heavy cream until it’s just starting to simmer, then pour it right over your semi-sweet chocolate chips in a separate bowl. Let that sit undisturbed for five minutes—this is the secret to smooth ganache! Then, gently whisk until it’s perfectly shiny. Let this glorious mixture thicken up for about 15 minutes. Once the cake is fully cooled, pour that glossy topping over the top. This turns it into the show-stopping Dark Chocolate Ganache Cake you deserve. Then, chill it for at least two hours before slicing!
Tips for the Best Flourless Cake Experience
Making this flourless chocolate cake is simple, but I have a few little tricks I’ve picked up over the years that elevate it from great to *absolutely unforgettable*. Since we aren’t using flour to create structure, we need to rely a bit more on technique and ingredients. These little nuggets of advice are what I’ve learned baking for my own busy family and hosting so many dinner parties over the years, so trust me on these!
Ingredient Spotlight: Quality Chocolate Matters
You simply cannot have a truly decadent chocolate experience without excellent chocolate. This cake is almost entirely chocolate and butter, so there’s nowhere for low-quality chocolate to hide! For this No Flour Dessert, make the splurge on a good dark bar, ideally 70% or higher. When you melt it down, it releases so much richer flavor than standard chips. It’s worth every penny to get that deep, resonant chocolate flavor that people are craving when they ask for this dessert.
Simple Chocolate Cake Presentation Variations
While the glossy ganache is breathtaking, sometimes I need something a bit quicker when I’m exhausted after a long day. If you’re short on time or just prefer a less sweet finish, skip the ganache entirely! Dust the completely cooled cake generously with high-quality, unsweetened cocoa powder instead. It gives a beautiful, velvety matte finish. You can even see some different presentation ideas over on my blog page for inspiration!
Also, I find this flourless chocolate cake is best served slightly chilled or at room temperature—never hot! Chilling helps the fudgy texture set up perfectly, especially after you’ve poured on that ganache.
Serving Suggestions for Your Decadent Dessert Ideas
This rich, dark chocolate cake deserves the perfect partner on the plate! Since it’s so intense, I always lean toward something bright or sharp to cut through the richness. Think about serving a small dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream—nothing too heavy. Fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries are amazing; they add a lovely tartness that contrasts beautifully. If you’re serving this as the ultimate Dinner Party Dessert, a piping hot cup of strong black coffee or maybe even a chilled frozen strawberry daiquiri on the side makes the whole experience just spectacular. It truly elevates this simple bake!
Storage and Reheating for Your Flourless Chocolate Cake
You’ll be happy to hear that this flourless chocolate cake is even better the next day! It keeps beautifully because the high fat content protects it naturally. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Since most of the ingredients are chocolate and butter, it stays really well, even for about four or five days. When you’re ready to serve, I prefer letting it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes before slicing. That little bit of warming up takes the chill off the ganache and really lets that dark chocolate flavor bloom again!
Frequently Asked Questions About This Easy Chocolate Recipe
I always get tons of questions after people see how easy this recipe is, usually centered around substitutions since it’s such a straightforward bake. I collected the most common ones right here to save you some time! Knowing these details helps you nail that perfect outcome, whether you’re making this for your first time or your tenth time.
Can I substitute the dark chocolate in this flourless chocolate cake?
You absolutely can, but be prepared for a flavor change since this is a flourless chocolate cake! The higher the cacao percentage (like the 70% we use), the richer and more bittersweet that fudgy texture will be. If you swap in semi-sweet chocolate chips, the cake will be much sweeter and might lose a tiny bit of that luxurious depth. Bittersweet chocolate works well too, but remember, this recipe relies on the intensity of the dark stuff to shine!
Is this truly a one bowl chocolate cake?
For the main batter—yes, 100%! Once you melt your butter and chocolate separately (you need that double boiler setup for the best melt), everything else—sugars, eggs, vanilla, salt—gets whisked right into that same bowl. So, for the cake itself, it’s basically a one-bowl situation. The ganache needs its own little bowl and saucepan, but those are quick steps anyway. It minimizes cleanup, which is exactly what I want after a big dinner!
How do I know when my gluten free chocolate cake is done baking?
This is the trickiest part, but getting it right ensures that amazing texture! It’s done when the edges look visibly set, like they’ve puffed up slightly and pulled just a tiny bit away from the sides of the pan. However, the very center should still look a little soft and almost wet when you gently shake the pan. It will firm up as it cools, so resist the urge to overbake! You are aiming for a Gluten Free Chocolate Cake that is slightly undershot rather than overdone.
Estimated Nutritional Data for This Flourless Chocolate Cake
I always get asked about the nutrition, especially since this decadent dessert is so rich! While I’m focused way more on taste than counting every single calorie—because honestly, who has time?—I do work with estimates for you folks who need them. Because this flourless chocolate cake is packed with butter and high-cacao chocolate, it’s definitely an indulgence, but remember, it provides that wonderful, deeply satisfying flavor!
Please remember, these numbers are just general estimates based on the ingredients in the recipe card. If you use organic butter or a slightly different percentage of dark chocolate, these figures will shift just a bit. So, take these as a helpful guideline rather than a strict measurement for your flourless chocolate cake serving.
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
Share Your Rich Chocolate Cake Creations
Now that you have turned simple ingredients into what I hope is the most incredible flourless chocolate cake you’ve ever made, I really, really want to hear about it! For me, creating these recipes is all about sharing that joy around the table. Did you make it for a birthday? Did you serve it with berries? Send me all the details!
Please take a moment to rate this recipe down in the comments below. Your feedback helps other folks who might be looking for the perfect Rich Chocolate Cake find their way to this page. And if you snapped a picture of that glorious ganache shine, I would be so thrilled if you shared it on Instagram and tagged me!
It means the world to me when you try my recipes. If you have any questions at all about substitutions or technique, pop over to my contact page and send me a message. Happy baking, and thank you for letting this simple recipe become part of your family’s sweet moments!
PrintRich, Easy, One-Bowl Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
This recipe delivers a rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey flourless chocolate cake that is naturally gluten-free. It comes together fast in one bowl, making it a simple yet decadent dessert perfect for special occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 8 ounces high-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), chopped
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for ganache)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Place the chopped dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (a double boiler). Stir occasionally until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the melted chocolate mixture until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should look set, but the center will still look slightly soft. This cake does not require a water bath.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. The cake will sink slightly as it cools, which is normal for this fudgy dessert.
- While the cake cools, prepare the ganache: Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Remove from heat.
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let stand for 5 minutes without stirring.
- Whisk the mixture gently until the ganache is smooth and glossy. Let the ganache cool and thicken slightly, about 15 minutes.
- Pour the ganache over the cooled cake, spreading it evenly over the top. Chill the cake for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving this gluten-free chocolate cake.
Notes
- For an even richer flavor, use 60% cacao dark chocolate in the cake batter.
- You can dust the cooled cake with unsweetened cocoa powder instead of ganache for a simpler presentation.
- This decadent dessert tastes best when served slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 20
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 150