This flourless chocolate cake is a rich, crave-worthy dessert that happens to be dairy-free, gluten-free, and made from simple pantry essentials. This easy recipe uses fruity olive oil and fragrant cardamom to enhance the chocolate decadence for a gluten-free cake you will make again and again.
This Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe comes from Drinks and Sweet Things chapter of my second cookbook, The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner, where I share easy weeknight recipes packed with flavor and a few extras for those moments when you need to treat yourself.
If gluten-free chocolate cake sounds like a compromise, let me introduce you to this flourless chocolate cake recipe. With its crackled top, fudgy, soufflé-like center, and warming spiced flavor, I’m tempted to say it puts your basic chocolate cake to shame!
Tweaking the concept of the Italian Torta Caprese, a chocolate and almond cake from Capri, I swapped the butter for the nuanced fruity flavor of olive oil. Then I used almond extract in place of almond meal for an even richer texture.
You could happily stop there, but one final touch really brings it over the edge: cardamom. This earthy, sweet warming spice gives it an unexpected cozy depth and very grown-up vibe. It’s certainly not traditional but I’m not mad about it.
I’d dare to say it’s like no chocolate cake you’ve had before! Make this recipe as a special treat for the true chocolate lovers in your life, or simply to give your afternoon coffee break a happy upgrade.
Table of Contents
- What is in Flourless Chocolate Cake?
- Ingredient Spotlight
- Swaps and Substitutions
- Is Flourless Chocolate Cake Gluten Free?
- Best Chocolate for Flourless Chocolate Cake
- How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
- What to Serve with Flourless Chocolate Cake
- More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes
- Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
What is in Flourless Chocolate Cake?
Even for a simple cake recipe, you may be surprised by how short the ingredient list is for flourless chocolate cake. Not needing to run to the store is a bonus. The best part, though, is that when you take away the filler the chocolate does all the talking! You’ll need:
- Bittersweet chocolate: I prefer to use whole bars and chop them because they tend to be made with higher quality chocolate, but chips will also work. See the “Best Chocolate for Flourless
Chocolate Cake” section below for tips. - Extra virgin olive oil: Traditionally this cake is made with butter, but I love the nuance that olive oil brings to the table. It also means the cake will keep for days without drying out. A smooth and buttery (rather than bitter or peppery) oil is essential—I recommend our Italian Nocellara for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens things just enough.
- Ground cardamom: Brings a subtle undertone of warming flavor (see Ingredient Spotlight below for more on this.)
- Almond extract adds depth and a subtle sweetness.
- Eggs hold the cake batter together.
- Powdered sugar or cocoa powder adds a touch of elegance. If you like things sweeter opt for powdered sugar, if you like bitter flavors and complex layers of chocolate then dust with cocoa powder.
Ingredient Spotlight
Cardamom is an aromatic pod from the ginger family. Like ginger, it has a uniquely sweet and spicy flavor profile that fits in savory recipes and desserts alike.
It’s perhaps most famously the dominant flavor in chai, but I also love how it gives Pomegranate Mocktails a grown-up depth. It complements the kick of the jalapeños in Zhoug (Spicy Cilantro Sauce), and even adds a bold Middle Eastern flavor to my Kofta Ground Beef Pita Sandwiches!
There are two main types of cardamom: green and black. Green cardamom is sweet and citrusy, whereas black is smoky and savory. This recipe uses ground green cardamom, which is more common.
- TRY IT: Order ground green cardamom from our spice shop.
- HAVE WHOLE PODS? Crack them open to find the seed, then grind into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
Swaps and Substitutions
Here are some ways you can tweak this gluten free chocolate cake to suit what you have on-hand:
- Almond extract: Vanilla extract or rum.
- Cardamom: Any sweet warming spice like cinnamon, clove, allspice, nutmeg, or a blend.
- Powdered sugar or cocoa powder: You can just leave this off (it’ll still be delicious).
Is Flourless Chocolate Cake Gluten Free?
Generally speaking–and for this recipe–flourless chocolate cake is gluten free. Of course if you’re not making it yourself and have an intolerance it’s always good to double-check the ingredients. But typically what makes flourless chocolate cake uniquely rich and tasty is the absence of wheat flour.
Best Chocolate for Flourless Chocolate Cake
When the chocolate is the main event, it’s best to use what you like. I prefer a high quality bittersweet chocolate. I used this one from Ghirardelli, but at the end of the day it’s your cake and should fit your tastes. If you prefer a milder option, feel free to use a bar with a lower cacao percentage.
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
This flourless chocolate cake recipe is meant to be a rustic homemade treat that’s not trying too hard to be perfect. Remember: the cracked top is part of its charm! Here are the steps:
- Get ready. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate. Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a simmer. Roughly chop 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate. Place a medium heat-safe bowl over the pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Add the chocolate and olive oil to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir continuously until the chocolate has melted and it’s fully combined with the oil. (Though it requires an extra dish, this is the most gentle way to melt chocolate—the stove or microwave is prone hot spots, which burn and distort its flavor.)
- Season the chocolate. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in 6 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Set aside and allow the chocolate to cool.
- Meanwhile, separate 5 large eggs. Place the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.
- Whip the egg whites. Use an electric hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until frothy and opaque in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add in 6 tablespoons sugar and beat until the whites become thick, glossy, and have stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes. The lift in the cake comes from the egg whites. It’s important not to overwhip them so they look curdled but not to under whip them so they look loose.
- Make the batter. When the chocolate has cooled a bit, whisk the egg yolks one at a time into the chocolate, until fully combined. Then use a rubber spatula to fold one-fourth of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter—you just want to lighten the batter a bit. Now, fold the rest of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture by drawing the spatula around the side and up through the center of the chocolate mixture. Do this until the whites are fully incorporated and you have a thick, cohesive batter. Take your time folding it in you don’t want to deflate the egg whites by mixing aggressively.
- Bake the cake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top has puffed up and looks dry—it might even crack a little bit.
- Cool the cake. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 1 hour. It will deflate and the top will crack. It’s okay! That’s what it’s supposed to do. When the cake has cooled completely, release it from the springform pan. If it looks like the cake might stick to the sides, run a knife around the sides before releasing it from the pan.
- Finish and serve. The cake will have a crackled top and a fudgy middle. Dust the cake with powdered sugar or cocoa powder and serve with berry compote, if desired.
What to Serve with Flourless Chocolate Cake
You can go full-on with the chocolate decadence, but I love how the acidity of a fresh fruit spread cuts the richness for a delicious balance. I went for a simple Mixed Berry Compote, but you can also get a bit fancier with Strawberry Compote with Rose, Mint, and Honey.
You can also take the creamy route. Dollop with lightly whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon, cardamom, or freshly grated nutmeg. Or keep it classic with ice cream. Alternatively, get the best of both worlds with Strawberry Frozen Yogurt!
More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes
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Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 large eggs
- Cocoa powder or confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- Berry Compote, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Get ready. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate. Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a simmer. Place a medium heat-safe bowl over the pot of simmering water and make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Add the chocolate and olive oil to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir continuously until the chocolate has melted and it’s fully combined with the oil. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in half the sugar, the cardamom, and almond extract. Set aside and allow the chocolate to cool.
- Meanwhile, separate the eggs. Place the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.
- Whip the egg whites. Use an electric hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until frothy and opaque in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add in the remaining sugar and beat until the whites become thick, glossy, and have stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Make the batter. When the chocolate has cooled a bit, whisk the egg yolks one at a time into the chocolate, until fully combined. Then use a rubber spatula to fold one-fourth of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter—you just want to lighten the batter a bit. Now, fold the rest of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture by drawing the spatula around the side and up through the center of the chocolate. Do this until the whites are fully incorporated and you have a thick, cohesive batter.
- Bake the cake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top has puffed up and looks dry—it might even crack a little bit.
- Cool the cake. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 1 hour. It will deflate and the top will crack. It’s okay! That’s what it’s supposed to do. When the cake has cooled completely, release it from the springform pan. If it looks like the cake might stick to the sides, run a knife around the sides before releasing it from the pan.
- Finish and serve. The cake will have a crackled top and a fudgy middle. Dust the cake with powdered sugar or cocoa powder and serve with berry compote, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and cardamom used in this recipe.
- Storage: Covered, the cake will keep on your countertop for up to 1 week.
- Why the double boiler? Though it requires an extra dish, melting chocolate over simmering water is the most gentle and effective method. The stove or microwave is prone to hot spots, which can burn and distort its flavor. Not worth the risk when chocolate is the main ingredient!
Nutrition
Jazz Up Your Flourless Chocolate Cake
Sweet and spicy with subtle citrus undertones.
I can’t wait to make this cake for our Christmas dinner! Can I make this cake ahead of time? Can I put it in the freezer?
Hi, Susan! Yes, you can make this one ahead. Covered, the cake will keep on your countertop for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen, tightly sealed, for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
I just made this flourless chocolate cake and followed the recipe exactly. Baked it at 350°. I served it at a party and eight out of nine people really enjoyed it. If I were to make it again, I would try it with semi sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet chocolate, and add more cardamom. The flavor of cardamom was barely detectable. Suzy, your recipes never let me down. And thanks for the video, they always help me to feel more comfortable with trying a new recipe.
Aww! Thank you so much!
Hi, I make many flourless chocolate cake, this one is different and delicious. Thank you for sharing. However, two conflicting bake temp times 375 and 350, which is it? I baked at 350 with additional 10 mins. Lovely cake!
Hi, Diane. I’d stick with 350 degrees F. So glad you loved the cake!
Hi Suzy, I just made your flourless chocolate cake can’t wait for the cooldown so we can try it. It’s a bit different recipe than I normal use. My only issue is on your video you bake at 375 but the printed recipe states 350, which is accurate. I went with your printed recipe at 350 hope it’s right.
Sadly my cake flattened to 1/2 an inch and does not taste nice at all.
I don’t think I’ll attempt it again, as the ingredients were quite expensive.
I was hoping for something nice for my visitors desert, but won’t be serving it.
I have a premium blood orange infused olive oil. I’m wondering if using it in this recipe will negatively affect the results? Maybe sprinkle a bit of orange zest powdered sugar on top. Love dark chocolate and orange flavor together.
Just wondering if the salt was intentionally left out…
I tried to apply to the free cook book, but my Iphone number was rejected.
Hi, Gloria. Please reach out to my team at info@themediterraneandish.com and they will be able to help you out with this.
Can I replace the bittersweet chocolate with some mexican Cacao?
Hi, Joan. We’ve never worked with Mexican Cacao before, so it’s hard to say. If you decide to give it a try, please stop back and let us know how things went!
Haven’t made this recipe yet, but can I use semisweet chocolate instead?
Thinking it may be too sweet? Thanks!
Hi, Deb. Theoretically, you could, but we’ve never tried this before, so I’m not sure how it would affect the flavor. If you give it a go, will you please stop back and share your thoughts? We’d love to know!
Simple and easy! Baked for 25 minutes and no crack. Another 5 and it was perfect! I did grease (with butter) and dust (with cocoa powder) as I was making for guests (gluten free) and wanted the insurance it would come out of the pan! QUESTION: There was no instruction to grease the pan….intentional? Not necessary? PS….They had seconds!
Hi, Liz! I’m Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. Putting parchment paper in the bottom of the pan is enough to help it release. The sides aren’t greased to help the cake “climb” the sides of the pan, similar to an angle food cake.
I made this recipe and I love this recipe. It is wonderful to have such a fabulous result with no flour. I can eat this moist cake and it doesn’t dry out. I did use date sugar for this fantastic result. Many thanks.
Thanks so much!
Hi, is it possible to make this recipe for with something other than olive oil. Thank you
Hi, Sharon. This may work with some other type of fat/oil, but it’s not something we’ve tested before. If you decide to give it a try, please stop back and share your thoughts.
Delicious. Made it this morning and couldn’t wait until it cooled so that we could try it, will definitely make again, my grandchildren will love it.
So glad to hear that, Alison! Thank you!
Is that much sugar necessary? How much can I reduce it without affecting texture and or the quality of the bake? I know some is important but 3/4 cup might not be. We don’t have a sweet tooth.
Hi, Kathleen! While we have never tested this recipe with less sugar, you could try to reduce the amount to 2/3 cup and see if it works. The sugar is important, though, because it stabilized the egg whites in that recipe… and all the lift comes from the egg whites. If you decide to a little experimenting with the amount of sugar, please stop back and share your thoughts! We’d love your feedback!
I wanted to make and bring this cake to a dinner party, however the host is vegan. Would it work to use aquafaba in place of the egg whites and avocado for the egg yolks or any other suggestions??
Thank you very much in advance.
Hi, Irene! I’m Summer and I work here at The Mediterranean Dish. I’m sorry, but we haven’t tried making the cake that way so we can’t say for sure if it would work. However, we do have this Vegan Chocolate Pudding that is fun for a dinner party. https://www.themediterraneandish.com/vegan-chocolate-pudding/
Awesome! Thanks so much for the suggestion. 🙂