Flourless Chocolate Cake is a modern baking marvel. Although this recipe isn’t traditionally Cuban, every Abuela would approve of a chocolate cake that melts in your mouth. We think it’s a great recipe to have in your recipe arsenal.
This Flourless Chocolate Cake is airy and fudgy all in the same bite. It has spongy sides and a decadent chocolate center. The egg whites are whipped to a merengue like consistency to give the cake the lightness you wouldn’t be able to get from flour mixed with leaveners such as baking soda and baking powder.
The cake will puff and rise in the oven much like a souffle, but once you take it out it will begin to sink down in the middle. Don’t worry. That’s normal. The middle is rich while the top forms that signature crackly top. Even hardcore chocolate lovers don’t need a lot of this cake, a little goes a long way.
Serve this flourless chocolate cake after dinner with a Cafecito. Our Turron Ice Cream, freshly whipped cream, berries or our Merengue would be the perfect accompaniments for the perfect indulgent bite.
Some Tips for Achieving the Most Delicious Flourless Chocolate Cake
A very important step in achieving the perfect most delicious flourless cakes is when you fold in the egg whites. You want to be sure you use a spatula, and you want to do it in parts. Take about a third of the egg whites at a time and mix into the chocolate. Do it gently. You want it to mix but you need to be careful not to deflate the egg whites in the batter. We need those egg whites to hold their shape because they will keep the cake airy and moist.
When baking, you will know the cake is ready when it starts pulling away from the sides of the pan and the middle is just set. If you insert a toothpick in the middle it should have some batter and a few crumbs sticking to it.
Now let’s cook!
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
servings20
minutes45
minutesIngredients
12 ounces of baking chocolate chips (I like using a combo of semi-sweet and bitter sweet)
1 stick of unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of sugar, divided
4 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 tablespoon of vanilla
Garnish with powdered sugar or chocolate curls.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If you have a “convection bake” setting use it when baking this cake.
- Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment at the bottom and grease lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Set up a double boiler. Fill a small pot with 2 inches of water and find a glass or stainless steel bowl that sits on top of the small pot. The bowl should be slightly larger than the pot.
- Turn the heat to medium so the water will begin to boil slowly. Add the chocolate and the butter to the fitted bowl. Allow the chocolate and butter to melt into each other. Stirring every so often with a rubber spatula. Once it’s melted, remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
- In a large bowl whisk together the egg whites with a hand held mixture. Once the mixture begins to foam add ½ cup of sugar slowly. Beat until the mixture forms stiff and glossy peaks. It will take about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, salt and sugar until they are thick and have turned pale yellow. It will double in size.
- As you have the hand held mixer on low start adding the chocolate mixture once it has cooled. Be sure it is completely incorporated into the eggs. Add the vanilla.
- Then begin folding the egg whites with a spatula into the chocolate mixture. Take about a third of the egg whites at a time and mix into the chocolate. Gently fold the mixture slowly into the chocolate. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites in the batter. We need those egg whites to hold their shape because they will keep the cake airy and moist.
- You should see streaks of egg white and chocolate throughout the mixture. Think of highlights in hair. It is not one color. The chocolate is lightly shaded by the egg whites.
Pour the batter into the springform pan. - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is ready as it starts pulling away from the sides of the pan and the middle is just set. If you insert a toothpick in the middle it should have some batter and a few crumbs sticking to it.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack. Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or simply dusted with powdered sugar.
