Flourless Chocolate Cake
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Last updated on Mar 07, 2025
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This flourless chocolate cake is rich, fudgy and incredibly easy to make. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion and absolutely delicious when topped with fresh berries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
If you are a chocolate lover like me you are going to fall in love with this flourless cake recipe! It’s rich, decadent and uber-chocolatey!
Traditional flourless chocolate cake is made with butter, granulated sugar and semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I decided to swap a few ingredients to make it a touch healthier. I swapped the butter for coconut oil, white sugar for coconut sugar and semi-sweet chocolate chips for Lily’s chocolate chips, which are low in sugar and calories.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Dietary-friendly – It’s totally flourless so it’s also gluten-free + grain-free.
- Super rich & fudgy – The best kind of chocolate cake!
- Quick & easy – All you need are 8 simple ingredients (not including the toppings) that you probably already have in your pantry!
- Fancy, yet simple – It’s simple enough to make for a weeknight dessert, but also fancy enough to be served for special occasions like birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Passover or really any holiday.
Ingredients Needed
- dark chocolate chips – for the cake and chocolate ganache. I like using Lily’s dark chocolate chips because they are low in calories and sugar.
- coconut oil – helps keep the cake moist! Make sure you measure it in its solidified state.
- coconut sugar – for the sweetener we’re using coconut sugar instead of white sugar.
- eggs – helps the cake to rise and to add structure since we’re not using flour.
- cocoa powder – make sure you’re using unsweetened cocoa powder. Raw cacao powder works as well.
- chocolate ganache – we’re whisking together melted chocolate chips with almond milk to create a rich chocolate topping to spread over the cake because you can never have too much chocolate, am I right?
- optional toppings – a sprinkle of powdered sugar and fresh raspberries. The combo of chocolate and fresh raspberries is SO good!
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Chocolate chips: Dark chocolate chips bring deep, rich flavor, but you can also use a chopped chocolate bar if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure it’s at least 70% cocoa for that intense chocolatey goodness.
- Using a different oil: If you’re not a fan of coconut oil, swap it for unsalted butter for a more traditional taste. Avocado oil might work, but I haven’t tested it—let me know if you do!
- Sugar swap: You can definitely use cane sugar or granulated sugar if that’s what you have on hand. I don’t recommend swapping the coconut sugar for a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
- Ganache alternatives: I love this cake with the ganache, but it’s totally optional! You could also try my chocolate buttercream frosting for extra richness or peanut butter Greek yogurt frosting for those peanut butter cup vibes. Either way, it’ll be delicious!
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cake
This healthy chocolate cake comes together in just a few simple steps! Melt the chocolate, mix the batter, bake, and top with ganache. Here’s how to do it
Step 1: Preheat oven and grease or line an 8-inch cake pan. Next, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.
Step 2: Let the melted chocolate cool slightly, then stir in coconut sugar, salt, and vanilla.
Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Step 4: Gently sift in the cocoa powder and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before flipping onto a plate. Make chocolate ganache, then spread over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries. Enjoy!
Tips for a Perfect Cake
- Use high-quality chocolate: Since chocolate is the star of the show, don’t skimp! A good-quality dark chocolate (at least 70%) will give you a rich, decadent flavor. If you wouldn’t eat it on its own, don’t use it in this cake.
- Let the chocolate cool slightly: After melting, give the chocolate mixture a few minutes to cool before adding the eggs. If it’s too hot, you risk scrambling the eggs (and no one wants that in their cake!).
- Sift the cocoa powder: Cocoa powder has a sneaky way of clumping, and no one wants dry pockets of cocoa in their cake. Sifting it before adding helps create a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Use a springform pan if possible: This cake is delicate, and a springform pan makes for easy removal. If using a regular cake pan, make sure to grease it well and line the bottom with parchment paper for a smooth release.
How to Serve Flourless Chocolate Cake
I like serving this flourless chocolate cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh raspberries. It would also be delicious topped with whipped cream, coconut whipped cream or with a scoop of ice cream like this banana ice cream or chocolate banana ice cream. You can’t go wrong with a scoop of good old-fashioned vanilla ice cream either.
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftover cake covered in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I haven’t tried freezing this cake, but I would imagine it would freeze just fine (up to 3 months) with or without the chocolate ganache.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! There is no gluten in this cake.
Since there are quite a few eggs needed, I don’t recommend trying to replace these with an egg replacer like flax eggs.
Yes! This cake can be made 1-2 days in advance. I would just store it in an airtight container in the fridge and spread on the chocolate ganache right before serving.
If your cake turns out dry you might have baked it for too long or the batter was overmixed.
Since this cake doesn’t contain any flour, it has less structure, so it’s totally normal for it to sink slightly in the middle as it cools.
More Cake Recipes to Try
- Grandma Miller’s Pound Cake
- 3 Ingredient Icebox Cake
- Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes
- Pavlova
- Healthy Chocolate Cake
Popular Chocolate Recipes to Try
- Black Bean Brownies
- Sweet Potato Brownies
- Chocolate Avocado Truffles
- Vegan Chocolate Tart
- Crispy Chocolate Rice Cake Bars
Be sure to check out my full collection of dessert recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup solidified coconut oil
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup cocoa powder
Chocolate ganache
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk, almond, oat or coconut milk work
Topping
- Powdered sugar, for topping
- Fresh raspberries, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease an 8 inch cake pan or 8 inch springform pan.
- Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until fully melted. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring in between until the chocolate has melted.
- Let chocolate cool slightly then add coconut sugar, salt and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Whisk in eggs.
- Gently add cocoa powder and stir to combine.
- Pour chocolate mixture into greased or parchment-lined pan and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cake cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. When removing the cake from the cake pan, loosen the edges with a butter knife and carefully turn it upside down onto a plate or serving platter. The bottom of the cake will now be the top of the cake! Let it cool completely before topping and serving.
- While cake is cooling, make chocolate ganache by adding chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave using 30 second increments and stirring between each. It shouldn’t take more than 90 seconds or so. Once chocolate is melted, add milk to the bowl and stir until well combined. Pour chocolate over the cooled cake and spread to cover.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with fresh berries.
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftover cake covered in an airtight container on the counter for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Frosting: I love the chocolate ganache with this cake, but you could try my chocolate buttercream frosting, or my peanut butter Greek yogurt frosting to switch things up.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love your healthy birthday cake recipe and can’t wait to try this one. Would this work as cupcakes?
Yay! I hope you love it, Ann. I do not recommend making this into cupcakes, a cake is the best option for this recipe. Enjoy!
I made this for my daughters birthday and it was delicious! I had all of the ingredients on hand. Thanks for a healthier, easy to make chocolate cake.
Hi Brittany, that makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. : )
I wanted something sweet and had all the ingredients on hand,just want to say the taste of the dark chocolate and cocoa is delicious.
Woo! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Toni!
SO good, made this with a side of raspberry sauce, amazing!
Yum! Raspberry sauce sounds like the perfect addition, CT! Thank you so much for sharing your review, I appreciate it so much! 🙂
Every recipe I try from your website is delicious and this one is no exception! I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make. My whole family loved it! Will be making it again, for sure!!
Woo! So happy to hear that, Becky! Glad it was a hit with your family, thanks for coming back to leave a review!
Just made the flourless chocolate cake. We will be eating it Friday night. It looks amazing. I used a 1/4 cup coconut milk and the rest avocado oil when melting the chocolate. I never use coconut oil. I’ll let you know what every thinks after eating it. Thank you so much for this healthy recipe!
Yay! So glad this recipe was a success for you, Gabrielle. Thank you for the review, I hope everyone loves it!
The chocolate flourless cake was a hit. Everyone loved it. Thank you so much for this healthy cake.
Yay! I’m so glad this cake was a hit, Gabrielle. Thank you so much for sharing your review, I really appreciate it.
Can coconut sugar be replaced with maple syrup?
Hi, Natalie. I don’t recommend swapping the coconut sugar for a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or honey. It would likely result in a different texture. You can swap with cane or granulated sugar.
I made this cake this weekend and already can’t wait to make it again! It’s so incredibly fudgy and rich and delicious — even my partner (a self-proclaimed “not a dessert person”) loved it. It looks and tastes so fancy but is honestly so manageable to throw together!
Yay! I am so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Kate! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review and star rating, it means so much to me.
OMG this flourless chocolate cake is to die for! So rich and decadent, you don’t even need a big piece. A new favorite for sure. Even my husband loved it. I didn’t have raspberries , so I made a homemade healthy strawberry compote to pour over it… it’s amazing. Tastes like a restaurant dessert.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that, Stephanie. I’m glad it was a hit with you and your husband. Thank you for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it 🙂