A rich, mix-by-hand, one-bowl Flourless Chocolate Cake topped with silky smooth ganache — perfect for Passover, Valentine’s Day, a gluten-free birthday cake, or just because it’s a Tuesday. Who knew something so easy and simple could be so delicious?
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Passover is coming up, which means it’s time to get out all our favorite grain-free desserts. This flourless chocolate cake should top your list! It’s This oh-so-rich, decadently fudgy, and topped with a layer of bittersweet chocolate ganache.
But! Even though I’ll always associate flourless cakes with Passover, this is TRULY a year-round cake. If you love chocolate, you will love this anytime and every time!
It comes together so quickly, is made with all pantry staple ingredients, and despite how simple it is to make, it’s elegant and delicious. You’ll keep this on rotation for all the chocolate lovers in your life.
The ingredient list might sound funny if you’ve never made a flourless cake. Chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, and cocoa powder. That’s it. The cocoa powder provides just enough structure to form a sliceable cake.
But without flour, the eggs, butter, and chocolate combine into this amazingly dense, smooth cake – with a texture almost like a cheesecake.
How does a flourless chocolate cake work, anyway? It’s time for my favorite subject… kitchen chemistry!
Kitchen Chemistry
The key ingredient responsible for the structure of a flourless chocolate cake is cocoa powder. While it doesn’t include gluten, cocoa powder contains both starch and fiber, which are able to absorb moisture and hold the structure of the cake. Without the gluten or any leavening agents, however, the cake does not rise and the resulting dense texture remains smooth and rich.
Yes! Because this cake is flourless, it’s also naturally gluten-free — no alternative flour swaps necessary. Of course, you’ll want to make sure your ingredients are gluten-free.
Everything in this is naturally gluten-free, but the cocoa powder may be processed in the presence of gluten-containing foods. If you’re making this cake for someone with gluten sensitivities, look for ingredients that are also certified gluten-free.
Have you ever had a flourless chocolate cake and thought it was a little… bland? Dry and boring? Because there are so few ingredients, quality is key here.
Use high-quality chocolate and butter – it’s worth splurging for this!
Because I’m often asked about what specific brands to use — I like Giuttard, Scharffen Berger, and Ghirardelli for baking chocolate. For butter, I always bake with unsalted and generally prefer baking with American-style (80% fat) butter over European (85% fat). I generally navigate to Land-o-Lakes because I find it very consistent and baked goods turn out the same every time.
As far as cocoa powder, you can technically use either naturally unsweetened or dutched cocoa powder. Either will work since we are not adding any leavening agents. Buuuut… for the best, fudgiest flourless chocolate cake, use dutched cocoa powder with a higher fat content. Dutched cocoa powder will produce a richer, more chocolatey flavor, and the higher fat content will yield a perfectly smooth texture. My personal favorite for this is Droste cocoa powder.
This flourless chocolate cake is too good, and too easy, to save for special occasions. Mix it by hand in one bowl, bake it in a tart plate, springform pan, or cake pan, smooth on a layer of ganache, and you have yourself one decadent treat.
Top with berries or toasted almonds, or serve with whipped cream or ice cream. You really can’t go wrong!
A rich, flourless cake, perfect for Passover, a gluten-free birthday cake, or just because it’s a Tuesday.
The cake can be kept at room temperature for two days, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to three months. To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Bring up to room temperature before slicing.
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