Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredient Notes

• Chocolate: Use high quality bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks.
• Butter: European style butter will give this cake the best overall results!
• Cocoa Powder: I highly recommend using dutch process cocoa powder, as it provides the richest chocolate flavor, however you can use natural cocoa powder in a pinch.
• Espresso Powder: A touch of espresso powder amplifies the chocolate flavor! If you don't love coffee, don't worry it doesn't add a coffee flavor.
• Vanilla: A high quality vanilla extract will round out the flavors of this chocolate torte.
• Eggs: Use grade AA large eggs.
• Sugar: Just a half cup of granulated sugar is all you need for this cake!

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Though this cake seems fancy and complicated, all you really need to make it is a couple glass bowls, a pot of simmering water, a whisk, an electric hand-mixer, and a rubber spatula. Follow these simple steps and you'll have an indulgent dessert in no time! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Melt the chocolate & butter, then add dry ingredients. Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer. In a medium size heatproof bowl, add the chocolate and butter and place over the pot of simmering water. Stir frequently until fully melted and smooth. Once the chocolate, butter mixture is melted, remove the bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Set aside to cool.

STEP 2: Make the meringue. Meanwhile, in a separate medium size bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add in the sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. 

STEP 3: Mix in the egg yolks. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, whisk in the egg yolks one at a time until fully combined. 

STEP 4: Fold in the meringue. Lastly, gently fold in the meringue in 3 additions, careful not to over-mix, but mix just enough so there are no steaks of meringue left. 

STEP 5: Bake. Gently pour the batter into the prepared round cake pan or springform pan and smooth out the top. Bake the cake for about 40 minutes or until it has risen up like a soufflé, formed cracks on the top, and has a very slight wobble. 

STEP 6: Serve. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. As it cools it will fall and form more cracks. Gently remove the cake and transfer to a serving plate, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with whipped cream and fresh berries, if desired. Slice the cake with a sharp knife and enjoy!

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x