A flourless chocolate cake pretending to be a brownie! Rich, decadent, and so fudgy! A must try for chocolate lovers!
Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
I’ve been waiting all week to share this cake with you! It’s rich, fudgy, and utterly decadent. It’s Friday worthy! Cause we all know weekend calories don’t count, right…? 😉
A few years ago I shared with you this Flourless Chocolate Whiskey Cake with Whiskey Pudding Sauce and – based on the comments and emails I’ve received – you guys love it! Not too long ago I started craving a slice for myself. The only problem? I was out of whiskey. No idea how that happened…
Instead of running out to the store, I decided to make an equally delicious booze free version for all of my fellow bakers who find themselves in a “dry” kitchen. The results? OMG so good.
Flourless chocolate cake? Yes. Flourless chocolate cake that tastes like a fudge brownie? Hell YES. Naturally I couldn’t wait to share this with you!
Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cake
This flourless chocolate fudge cake is really easy to make. First you’ll need to set out 6 eggs – they need to come to room temperature. While you wait, melt your butter and chocolate. You’ll need 12 ounces of both.
You’ll stir the butter and chocolate together until both are melted and can easily be whisked smooth. If you use chocolate chips, I recommend staying near the pan the entire time as they melt much faster than chopped chocolate. Once melted, you’ll remove the pan from heat and set it aside to cool for 10 minutes. You can use this time to assemble the rest of your ingredients.
Separate 4 of the eggs, placing yolks into one bowl, and whites into another. You’ll want both bowls to be medium to large in size. In the bowl holding the yolks you’ll add vanilla extract, the 2 remaining eggs, salt, cocoa powder, and half of the sugar.
Next you’ll use a handheld electric beater to whip the egg whites until they’re very frothy. Add in the sugar and continue whipping until the mixture has formed stiff peaks. If you own a stand mixer, you can fit it with the whisk attachment and use it for this step. In my experience you can not make the peaks needed by hand, so make sure you have one of the electric options mentioned above available before you plan to make this.
The batter will be dark, thick, and absolutely gorgeous.
Time to bake! For this cake you’ll need a 9-Inch Spring Form Pan. The is too much batter for a regular 9″ baking pan. You’ll bake the cake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is shiny, slightly crackly, and the center no longer jiggles. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting it into slices. I won’t lie… the waiting is pure torture. But guess what I discovered? You can pop the cake in the fridge to help speed up the process.
I have no patience when it comes to dessert.
As far as decoration, the world is your oyster! I kept things simple and just dusted the cake with cocoa powder (there’s always room for more chocolate), but you could add chocolate ganache, confectioners’ sugar, or fresh whipped cream and berries. Tell me – how will you decorate yours?
If you’re a fan of rich, fudgy, decadent chocolate desserts you’re going to FLIP over this cake! It’s already one of my favorites.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes:
- Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Easy Single Layer Chocolate Cake
- Death by Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Banana Cake with Espresso Fudge FrostingÂ
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day. ♥

Flourless Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature, divided
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (fine sea salt or kosher salt will work)
- 1 cup sugar, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Grease and flour a 9" springform pan; set aside. Combine the butter and chocolate together in a small pan over medium-low heat; cook, stirring almost constantly, until both are completely melted. Whisk smooth then remove pan from heat; set aside.
- Separate 4 of the 6 eggs, placing the egg whites and yolks in separate medium-sized bowls. In the bowl with with yolks add the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, salt, remaining eggs, and half of the sugar; whisk well to combine. Slowly add the cooled chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture; whisk well and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer set to medium-high speed, beat egg whites until very frothy. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until firm peaks form.
- Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, stirring until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula.
- Place pan in oven and bake until the top is slightly cracked and the middle no longer moves, about 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer cake to cooling wrack and let cool completely before cutting and serving.
- Dust the cake with cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, or top with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries!
ASHLEY! Girll…..I miss you and your beautiful mind! This cake is the ultimate—I neeeeeds it!
I miss you too!!! Come visit soon 🙂 I’ll make you cake.
This sounds so delicious! I can’t wait make this!
Yay! I hope you love it, Megan 🙂
This looks delicious!
Thank you, Lucy! It’s so decadent and delicious.
I tried this cake when you posted it in January, it was so delicious, I now made it for the Passover Holiday.
I used margarine instead of butter.
So happy to hear it, Betty! Thank you for letting us know your adaptions worked well, too 🙂
Wow this looks so chocolatey and decadent! Yum!
Hello
I want very much to make this cake
Please, can you tell me how much is in ounces 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter?
Thank you very much
Cláudia, from Portugal
170 gms or 3/4th cup
Also, I’m superrrrr lateeee lolol but just in case anybody needs it in future
This sounds and looks amazing. thanks for sharing this. will be giving this recipe a go. Simon
Love the recipe!! A quick question, can i replace this with 90% dark chocolate and increase the amount of sugar? Will that work?
Hi! Adding more sugar will change the texture of the cake, so I can’t say if it would work or not.
I like to decorate with a few sprinkles of Folger freeze dried coffee crystals. Slightly crunchy bursts of coffee.
This looks so good! What can we substitute the eggs with?
Hi,
I’m also wondering what weight the butter is, preferably in grams?
Thanks!
I just checked my box of unsalted butter. One tablespoon = 14 grams. So 12 T is 168g.
How can I make chocolate ganache without whipped por heavy cream?
This recipe was fabulous. I just added a layer of fresh whipped cream and piled on some raspberries and it was nice.
That sounds delicious!
Looks amazing!! My hubby is a chocolate addict so I might just be trying this very soon!
It looks delicious!! Im gonna make for sure! Thanks!
Wow.
Doesn’t look flourless *_*
Really?
I always tought a flourless cake couldnt be that nice.
I read flourless and tought…
WHATTT???
But i tried and it really worked.
Great recipe
What a lovely photo *_*
What cam do you use?
Hi Ashley! I was just reading about your favorite chocolate recipes And came across this flourless chocolate cake which looks amazing! Is this gluten free? My aunt Can only eat GF foods and I would love to surprise her with this if it is! Thank you so much for the awesome recipes! Lori
Yes, it’s gluten free 🙂
Anyone tried using jaggery as a substitute for sugar? Jaggery is supposed to be substantially less harmful than white sugar
Which is the correct baking time ????/looks delicious
Would you be able to reduce the sugar amount or substitute it with say stevia? Do ou think it would still turn out?
This looks like the perfect chocolate fix!! Can’t wait to try and make this but I have one question. On the blog it says to cook for 50-55 min but the directions say to cook 35-40 min. Which is the correct cook time? Thanks in advance!
how far in advance can you make this cake?
Hiii
In your write up, you have said, “12 ounces of both (butter and chocolate)”. But in your recipe ingredients, you have mentioned 12tbsp of butter. (1 oz of butter is 2 tbsp,right? Therefore 12 oz would be 24tbsp.) Could you please tell me which is the right measurement?
Hello Ashley
Kindly reply if the recipe calls for 12 oz or 12 tbsp butter?
Hello again
Kindly reply if the recipe calls for 12 oz or 12 tbsp of butter? Thank you.
Hi I made one using 12oz of butter and it turned out fabulous!
@bakerbynature Hi! I’m wondering the same on the butter. Is it 12oz or 12tbps?
Hi does this cake freeze well?
Thanks-
Absolutely PERFECT. Thank you so so much. It is INCREDIBLE
Hi, can I make this cake ahead and freeze it?
I am excited to try this cake! It looks delicious! I am making it for a birthday celebration.
Will it work in either a 8″ or 10″ spring form pan? I do not have a 9″ and I am hoping to make it work with what I have. Should I adjust the cooking time?
Holly
Can I substitute butter with coconut oil? The same amount would work?
This looks AMAZING!
I LOOOOOVE this cake, made it for the first time in the weekend, had guests coming. We all agreed it was divine and so fudgy! Drool!! I need another opportunity to make it!!!
I just tried this yesterday and it was absolute heaven! It is so easy to make and it is one of the best chocolate cakes you would ever taste. Great job Ashley!!
Hi!
I just made these, but I’ve cut it in brownies!!
Só delightful! Thank you!
P.S.: I’m from the beautiful island of Madeira, Portugal!
Hi! Just came across this wonderful recipe . May I cut the doses in half to make a smaller version? Can’t wait to try it!
I made this cake today. It is SO delicious! Fairly easy to make, too! This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Hi from Northern Ireland!
Can a sub sugar be used? Or would that mess up the texture?
Can I use organic coconut sugar in stead of white sugar
OMG, this looks sooo good! I can’t wait to try it out – probably as soon as I put the phone down!
Hi Ashley this recipe looks amazing would I still get the same results if I substituted the butter for a dairy free option like oil or a dairy free spread ? Many thanks Mark
Hi! This looks super yummy! Is it possible to substitute the sugar with keto-friendly sweetener? Will it have the same ratio?
Is it ok to use semi sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet?
Hi,
If I wanted to scale down the quantity to half what size of a cake tin would you recommend and what should the approximate baking time be for that ?
Hey this looks great! But anyway we can substitute the eggs for smthn else, I have an egg allergy ;(
looks super yum just going to make it now.
love and cant wait to see how it turns out
This was seriously one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had. WOW!! Thank you for this recipe. One question… how should you store the rest of the cake? In the fridge or with plastic wrap room temp? Thanks!!
What is 12oz of chocolate in cups?
Made this recipe into 24 cupcakes and they turned out great! Just bake them at the same temperature for 20-25 minutes 🙂 Thank you for this recipe I’ve made it many times and it’s delicious!
Hello Ashley,
Thank for this yummy post .
I have a question about the percentage you
Used for this recipe ?
Thank you
My e came out a tad bit dry – still good but not what I had expected on the moistness. I’ll probably retry it again this month.
Hi there!
Looking forward to making this!
Can I substitute coconut sugar for white sugar?
Thanks,
Shuba
I am still looking for the recipe I lost 20 yrs ago which used ground walnuts as the binder. I received it at a cooking class given by the cookbook author in palm dessert ca. I have search the internet for years. I will try this recipe this week.
Can I use unsweetened chocolate in place of the bittersweet chocolate? Thank you
Can I make it in a 9*13 pan or Pyrex dish?
This is a winner! I made this for my sister’s birthday and it was so rich and silky while maintaining a light texture. Even my husband, who doesn’t do dessert, ate his whole piece. I put the leftovers in the fridge overnight and it turned dense and fudgy, which was also delicious. 🙂 I made a couple modifications like using salted butter and adjusting the added salt, adding a splash of dark roast coffee, and baking it in an oversized pie pan (baked for 39min) since I don’t have a springform. I also appreciate that all parts of the separated eggs get used, so there’s no waste or awkward leftovers. I’ll be using this recipe again, thank you so much!
You can actually use any liquid you have to make ganache, whether it’s milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or even water.
I would just suggest melting the chocolate first, then adding in the warm liquid a little at a time.
Don’t worry if the chocolate starts to thicken or seize, just keep adding a bit more liquid and stir until it loosens into a shiny ganache.
Has anyone tried making this as cupcakes? If yes, could you please advice on bake time?
Does it really matter whether I use natural or Dutch processed cocoa, since there are no leaveners in here?