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3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake

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My longtime favorite flourless cake recipe is decadently rich and delicious, naturally gluten-free, and easy to make in under 1 hour!

Trust me, this flourless chocolate cake recipe belongs in your dessert repertoire. ♡

I actually first shared this recipe here on Gimme Some Oven over a dozen years ago, and have probably made it at least a few dozen times ever since. It has turned into one of my back-pocket dessert recipes because it calls for 3 simple ingredients that I almost always keep stocked in my kitchen — eggs, butter and chocolate. It’s easy to prep and bake in under 1 hour. It’s naturally gluten-free. And who can argue with a decadent, fudgy, flourless chocolate cake?! People always adore this recipe!

After having made this cake so many times, I can vouch that this classic recipe welcomes fun ingredient twists as well. So if you feel like adding in a dash of cinnamon and cayenne, a spoonful of espresso powder, or a splash of bourbon, go for it! I’ve also made this cake using everything from the fanciest chocolate bars to store-brand semisweet chocolate chips and all have turned out to be absolutely delicious. Please just take a minute to read a few of my tried-and-true tips below (turns out the type of aluminum foil can make a big difference here!) so that your flourless chocolate cakes are a success each and every time.

Let’s make some cake!

3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe | 1-Minute Video

Flourless Chocolate Cake Ingredients

Here are a few quick notes about the 3 flourless chocolate cake ingredients needed to make this recipe:

  • Dark or semisweet chocolate: I recommend using whatever good-quality chocolate bars or chocolate chips that you love best. You can opt for anything from semisweet to dark chocolate. Just keep in mind that whatever percentage of chocolate you use will decide the sweetness of this cake since we’re not adding in any extra sugar.
  • Eggs: You will need 8 large eggs for this cake, which we will whip until their volume has doubled to give the cake a lighter and fluffier cheesecake-type texture.
  • Salted butter: Finally, we will add two sticks of salted butter (cut into 16 pieces for easier melting) to heat with the melted chocolate. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, just add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt to the batter.

Flourless Chocolate Cake Supplies

These are the supplies I recommend using for this recipe:

  • 8-inch or 9-inch springform panEither size of springform pan will work for this recipe. I’m partial to my Norpro springform pans, which seem to be some of the most secure I’ve used when it comes to preventing leaks.
  • Heavy-duty aluminum foilThis is actually a critical component of this recipe! If possible, please use heavy-duty foil that is at least 12-inches wide to wrap the outside of springform pan. Using just one sheet of heavy-duty foil (instead of layering a few) ensures that there will be no gaps in the foil that could allow the hot water to accidentally seep into the batter while the cake is baking in the water bath.
  • Parchment paperI also recommend lining the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper to help with easy removal from the pan. Simply place the pan on a sheet of parchment, trace around it, then cut to size.
  • Stand mixer or hand mixerIt’s definitely easiest to use an electric mixer — either a stand mixer or a hand mixer — to beat the eggs until they have doubled in size.

Recipe Tips

Detailed directions are included in the recipe box below for how to make flourless chocolate cake, but here are 5 important tips to keep in mind too:

  • Use one sheet of heavy-duty foil to wrap the pan. As mentioned above, I highly recommend using heavy-duty aluminum foil that is at least 12-inches wide so that you can use a single sheet (without gaps) to wrap the bottom and sides of the pan. This will help to prevent the hot water bath from accidentally seeping into the batter while the cake is cooking.
  • Keep a close eye on the chocolate while melting. As always, be sure to watch the chocolate carefully while heating it so that it does not accidentally burn.
  • Avoid over-mixing the batter. We want to preserve as many of the tiny foamy air bubbles in the whipped eggs as possible to help give the cake a lighter texture. So when folding the eggs into the chocolate batter, be very gentle and continue folding until the mixture is *just* combined and no egg streaks remain.
  • Don’t over-bake the cake. The center will still be every-so-slightly jiggly when you remove the cake from the oven, which is okay because the cake will continue to set as it cools. (We don’t want to use the toothpick test in this recipe, as it will not come out perfectly clean from the center of the hot cake.) If anything, it’s typically best to underbake rather than over-bake a flourless chocolate cake. Otherwise it can tend to be dry and crumbly.
  • Cool the cake completely before serving. That said, this cake is best served completely chilled. So be sure to set aside enough prep time to let the cake cool in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving. It should be deliciously dense, cool, and fudgy!

Recipe Variations

Here are a few fun variations that you’re welcome to try with this flourless chocolate cake recipe:

  • Add espresso powder. Add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to the melted chocolate for a hint of coffee flavor.
  • Add chopped nuts. Add up to 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc) to the batter when mixing in the eggs.
  • Add spices or orange zest. Add a hint of spices (such as ground cinnamon or cayenne powder) or orange zest to the melted chocolate.
  • Add liqueur. Add a splash of your favorite liqueur to the batter.
  • Infuse fresh mint. Infuse a few sprigs of fresh mint into the melted chocolate for a few minutes, then remove and discard before continuing on with the recipe.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

Looking for more chocolate cake recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites:

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3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 73 reviews
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

A decadent, gluten-free flourless chocolate cake recipe with no added sugar necessary!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 large eggs, cold
  • 1 pound dark or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, cut into 16 pieces
  • optional toppings: powdered sugar and berries

Instructions

  1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan. Center the pan on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and wrap the edges up around the sides of the pan. Repeat with a second sheet of foil. Set the pan in a large roasting pan, or any pan that’s larger than the springform. Bring a kettle or pot of water to boil.
  2. In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs at high speed until the volume doubles. This usually takes about 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter together. You can either do this in a double boiler on the stove (by placing the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl, set over a pan of almost-simmering water, and stirring until melted and smooth). Or you can do this in the microwave (by heating the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth). Take care not to overheat the chocolate – you only want to heat it enough so that the chocolate *just* melts. 
  4. Fold about a third of the beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible. Fold in half of the remaining egg foam, and then the last half of the foam, until the mixture is totally homogenous. Do not overstir.
  5. Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan on the oven rack and VERY carefully pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the sides of the cake begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. Carefully remove the springform pan from the water bath and set it on a wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled. 
  6. About 30 minutes prior to serving, run a knife around the edges of the cake and carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Carefully slip a spatula under the parchment to loosen and remove the pan base and transfer the cake to a serving platter. If desired, lightly dust the cake with powdered sugar and top with berries. To slice, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping the knife into a pitcher of hot water and wiping the blade before each cut.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated. The total recipe time listed does not include the time needed to chill the cake completely, which can vary depending on your refrigerator.

 

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456 comments on “3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake”

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  1. Looks great! I posted a 4 ingredient flourless peanut butter cookie the other day on my blog! We all are on the same page it seems!!! :)

  2. looks sooo amazing! Love the clicks too.. just amazing.

  3. That looks (and sounds) amazing! I have a friend who is allergic to gluten–I’m definitely going to share this recipe with her! Of course, she’s also allergic to soy BUT we’ve found a soy-free chocolate that is delicious…I’m thinking substitution! Thanks so much for sharing!

  4. Ooh, you had me at “3 ingredients” This looks amazing!

  5. Can you further explain “Place the roasting pan on the oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.”?

    • Hi Haley!

      Yep – it’s basically a water bath where you put the springform pan actually IN the water.

      So you place the springform pan (wrapped in foil) in the roasting pan. Then fill the roasting pan (not the springform) with boiling water until it comes up to about the halfway point on the height of the springform pan. Then let it bake. And when it’s done, you’ll carefully remove the springform from the roasting pan that was filled with water.

      Let me know if you have any more questions! Sorry – it’s a little weird and confusing, but works really well!

      Thanks,
      ~A

  6. I am so excited about this recipe. I have a gluten-free friend and this would be the perfect dessert the next time she and her chocolate lovin’ hubby are over for dinner. Thanks for this post!

  7. I will be trying this for sure!

  8. This was amazing! I loved it with the strawberries.

  9. Now that is a plate of beauty! :)

  10. I made this recipe yesterday, but mine looked different. When you whipped your eggs, what did it look like after the 5 minutes? Mine looked like scrambled eggs with some air bubbles on top. Also, did your cake taste like a piece of chocolate fudge? Mine didn’t have any cake like texture at all and I think it might be due to the fact that I didn’t beat the eggs at a high enough speed.

    • If your eggs looked like scrambled eggs, it seems you didn’t separate the yolks from the whites and use only the whites.

    • This recipe seems to call for the whole egg, not just the whites. You can see them in the picture.

    • You want to mix the eggs at the HIGHEST SPEED POSSIBLE with an electric mixer for 5 solid minutes, it will double (or triple) in mass just like the original recipe said! :)

  11. I made this and had to throw it out. It was not sweet. I made it a second time adding over 1/2 cup of sugar and this time boyfriend said it was great and asked that I make it again…

    • Did you happen to use unsweetened chocolate instead of dark chocolate? It’s not intended to be a super sweet cake but should be sweet enough with the correct chocolate.

  12. oi – i tried this recipe but the water bath thing so did not work for me. I wrapped my springform pan in 3 layers of foil, but water still leaked into the cake batter and ruined the whole thing :(

  13. I’ve never baked before, so this was my first cake EVER! I love the simplicity and like to stick with very few ingredients. I halfed the recipe and used Trader Joe’s semi-sweet choco chips. It was perfect! Thank you!

  14. I just melted and mixed and baked,simple and easy ,turned out great!

  15. Un salted butter is not gluten free!

    • Hi Paula, can you tell me where you got that from? I did some research and everything I read said it was gluten free. Is it a certain brand? Thanks!

    • Unsalted Butter just means its butter without salt in it, there is no gluten in butter (salted or unsalted)

    • un-salted butter is inherently gluten free as it’s just cream. Salted butter is also inherently gluten free as it’s just cream and salt, nothing else.

  16. I’ve been looking for some gluten-free (and sugar-free)recipes for our church bake sale and this looks great. Do you know if it can be frozen, and how long it will keep? Hope you can answer cause I really hope to do this cake. TY

  17. Will this cake be ok if it is not refrigerated overnight? I plan to make it early in the morning and keep it in the frig until around 8 at night thank you

    It looks yummy and can’t wait to make it,

  18. the title drew my attention because i thought it’s a simple & quick recipe; yet the method got me thinking – go for the 7 ingredients easy bake cake is much better than this!

    • I agree that it looks like serious business to do it, but having tasted flourless chocolate cake, I would point out that it’s an entirely different, delicious experience. Like the world’s best brownie, or fudge in cake form!

  19. Hi,
    Just wanted to let you know I am sharing your wonderful recipe tomorrow in my Gluten-Free Recipe RoundUp with a link back to your original post!
    Have a terrific weekend!
    Cathy from APeekIntoMyParadise.com

  20. im def trying this next week , thank u for sharing this rep

  21. Now I have got to make this! It looks divine.

  22. OMG! Gorgeous and decadent…and your Dad will want to try this one!

  23. Get out of town! Just three ingredients to this beauty? Sold!

  24. Beautiful cake! Can’t get enough of chocolate and raspberries!

  25. My goodness, this looks SO amazing! Uber rich and chocolate-y. Perfection!

  26. An amazing, decadent and delicious looking cake.The photographs are amazing as well!

  27. This looks incredible and only 3 ingredients, thats amazing! Just pinned.

  28. This looks amazing!! Love your photos – they’re making me hungry!

  29. Do you have any calorie amount for this flourless chocolate cake? And the fat content? Thank you so much, Lynette

  30. oh my gracious this looks divine Ali! Your photos make me drool! :)

  31. Three ingredients?! HOLY SMOKES!! This cake looks great!

  32. Ali, this looks amazing! I’m new here so I can’t wait to read all your posts! Xo

  33. Wow, 3 ingredients. Amazing! Pinning!

  34. Yum! I’m not the best at baking, but this looks easy to make. And only 3 ingredients? I think I could do this!:)

  35. This is so stunning!! OMG I want it all.

  36. This is too good to be true! Love the deep chocolate color going on!

  37. So gorgeous, I just might dream of this cake tonight ;).

  38. Definitely need to make this and share with my friends!! Is there a dairy free option? What could I use instead of butter?

    https://lifeandcity.tumblr.com

    • I’m trying it now with Earth Balance soy “butter” but we won’t be tasting until tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

  39. What a beautiful cake! :)

  40. How awesome! This looks absolutely incredible, without any sacrifice on flavor. How easy, too! :)

  41. This cake looks and sounds completely amazing!

  42. Oh I would love at least a little slice of this cake!

  43. Just 3 ingredients?!?! I am in love! Beautiful pictures! Pinning

  44. 3 ingredients! this cake looks so moist and delicious!! It doesn’t get better than that!

  45. I love a simple flourless chocolate cake. I make a similar one that a friend/co-worker shared at a gathering almost 15 years ago, and it’s still a favorite of mine. Gorgeous, Ali!

  46. I’m totally down with any cake that is only 3 ingredients! This looks incredible!

  47. Oh my! Three ingredients, this cake is a spectacle! Will add to the to do list!

  48. Wow, this cake looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try this recipe :)

  49. It isn’t even fair how absolutely gorgeous this i!!

  50. Can’t wait to try this, but I don’t see the oven temp in the recipe. Am I missing something?