Dairy-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake for the win! This dense, perfectly rich chocolate cake is gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and naturally sweetened, but has all the indulgent flavor you’re looking for on a special occasion.
I need very few excuses to make something chocolate, but Valentine’s Day is one of my favorites. So, I did it up right–a dense, perfectly rich flourless chocolate cake. And, because I couldn’t resist, a bright, beautiful raspberry sauce to drizzle over top.
This, dear reader, is what chocolate dreams are made of.
I love flourless chocolate cake for its fudgy texture and the delicious richness that’s perfect in small doses. A thin little slice feels just decadent enough without being too much. This flourless chocolate cake is made from gluten and dairy free ingredients and couldn’t be easier.
Start With Simple Ingredients
Another great thing about dairy-free flourless chocolate cake? The simple ingredients list! Let’s take a look:
How to Make Dairy-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan, or grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. If using a cake pan instead of a springform, cut two long strips of parchment paper and make an “X” on the bottom of the pan. Fold them over the edge of the pan a bit so they don’t flop right into your batter. Then, layer in a circle that’s been cut to fit the bottom of your pan (I just trace the pan on parchment and cut it out). When the cake has cooled a few minutes on a cooling rack, you’ll use the “X” strips as handles to lift the cake out.
- Melt Chocolate & Coconut Oil. In a medium microwave safe bowl (or a medium saucepan), melt unsweetened chocolate and coconut oil together over low heat until completely smooth.
- Whisk Eggs. While the chocolate is melting, whisk eggs together in a bowl until they are slightly lighter in color. (When you lift your whisk up, the eggs should fall in a thin stream instead of in clumps–this is called the “ribbon test”)
- Combine. When the chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Stir in maple syrup to cool the chocolate mixture down slightly, then slowly whisk in the eggs. Stir in vanilla extract and salt. Sift in the cocoa powder (to avoid lumps) using a sifter or fine mesh sieve and stir to just combine.
- Transfer The Batter. Pour cake batter into your prepared pan, gently shake the pan back and forth a bit to settle the batter, and transfer to the oven.
- Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the middle is just set. (if using a 9 inch pan, you’ll want to check it at 13-15 minutes as it may cook slightly faster) Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the pan before transferring out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. If you’ve used a springform pan, you’ll open the ring and allow the cake to finish cooling on the cooling rack that way. If you’ve used the parchment trick, use the “handles” you made with the parchment to gently lift the cake out and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Serve. Enjoy this cake with your favorite toppings, like raspberry sauce, powdered sugar, dairy-free whipped cream, etc. Store leftover cake (without toppings!) in an airtight container at room temperature 1-2 days, in the refrigerator 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Delicious Toppings To Try
Flourless chocolate cakes are very no-fuss, but they feel really indulgent and a little bit fancy, which makes them perfect for dinner parties or holidays. They stand on their own beautifully, but there are also a TON of ways you could serve this to take it to the next level…
- Fresh raspberry sauce (raspberry coulis)
- Sliced strawberries
- Whipped coconut cream or whipped cream
- Shaved chocolate
- A pinch of coarse sea salt
- Toasted almonds or hazelnuts
- Vegan caramel sauce
- A sprinkle of powdered sugar
- Coconut (especially toasted coconut)
- Toffee bits
However you plan to serve it, trust me that a thin little slice goes a long way. And the final result will be delicious!
Tips & Tricks For The Best Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cake
THIS IS A DENSE CAKE. This flourless chocolate cake won’t rise much at all, and it’ll be very fudgy and rich (somewhere between a truffle and a brownie). That’s the beauty of flourless chocolate cake. It’s a little bit different, and it’s SO GOOD. Don’t panic if it doesn’t puff up much in the oven. That’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.
IT FREEZES LIKE A DREAM! You can slice and freeze flourless chocolate cake with no trouble, which means it’s great for making ahead of time (or pulling out a single slice on a day when it would hit the spot). Similarly, you can make the raspberry sauce ahead of time. You can freeze it, or refrigerate it.
Tips For Getting Flourless Chocolate Cake Out Of The Pan
- Try A Springform Pan! You can certainly use a spring-form pan for this. Springform pans have removable sides, which means you don’t have to worry about flipping or lifting the cake out of the pan. I’ve also made it with an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan and haven’t had any problems.
- Use Parchment Paper. If you’re using a regular pan, the trick is to use parchment paper. First, grease your pan (or spray it with nonstick spray). Cut two long strips of parchment and make an “X” on the bottom of the pan. Fold them over the edge of the pan a bit so they don’t flop right into your batter. Then, layer in a circle that’s been cut to fit the bottom of your pan (I just trace the pan on parchment and cut it out) and pour in your batter. When the cake has cooled a few minutes on a cooling rack, you’ll use the “X” strips as handles to lift the cake out.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Flourless Chocolate recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Flourless Chocolate Cake (Dairy Free, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) coconut oil – measure solid
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For Raspberry Sauce:
- 1 (10 oz) package of frozen raspberries, slightly thawed (or 10 oz fresh raspberries)
- 2-3 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Other Optional Toppings:
- Fresh strawberries
- Dairy-free whipped cream
- Toasted almonds or hazelnuts
- Flaky sea salt like Maldon
- Shaved chocolate
- Powdered sugar
- Toasted coconut
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Make The Cake:
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan, or grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. If using a cake pan instead of a springform, cut two long strips of parchment paper and make an "X" on the bottom of the pan. Fold them over the edge of the pan a bit so they don't flop right into your batter. Then, layer in a circle that's been cut to fit the bottom of your pan (I just trace the pan on parchment and cut it out). When the cake has cooled a few minutes on a cooling rack, you'll use the "X" strips as handles to lift the cake out.
- Melt Chocolate & Coconut Oil. In a medium microwave safe bowl (or a medium saucepan), melt unsweetened chocolate and coconut oil together over low heat until completely smooth.
- Whisk Eggs. While the chocolate is melting, whisk eggs together in a bowl until they are slightly lighter in color. (When you lift your whisk up, the eggs should fall in a thin stream instead of in clumps–this is called the "ribbon test")
- Combine. When the chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Stir in maple syrup to cool the chocolate mixture down slightly, then slowly whisk in the eggs. Stir in vanilla extract and salt. Sift in the cocoa powder (to avoid lumps) using a sifter or fine mesh sieve and stir to just combine.
- Transfer The Batter. Pour cake batter into your prepared pan, gently shake the pan back and forth a bit to settle the batter, and transfer to the oven.
- Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the middle is just set. (if using a 9 inch pan, you'll want to check it at 13-15 minutes as it may cook slightly faster) Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the pan before transferring out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. If you've used a springform pan, you'll open the ring and allow the cake to finish cooling on the cooling rack that way. If you've used the parchment trick, use the "handles" you made with the parchment to gently lift the cake out and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Serve. Enjoy this cake with your favorite toppings, like raspberry sauce, powdered sugar, dairy-free whipped cream, etc. Store leftover cake (without toppings!) in an airtight container at room temperature 1-2 days, in the refrigerator 3-4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Make The Raspberry Sauce:
- Blend. Place raspberries, honey, and lemon juice in a blender. Puree until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of water, if needed.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and refrigerate until ready to serve!
- Serve & Store. Raspberry sauce can be made in advance and will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator 3-4 days, or frozen up to 2 months.
Notes
- Chocolate. Be sure to use UNSWEETENED chocolate for this recipe. Semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, etc. are not recommended.
- Coconut Oil. Butter or vegan butter can be substituted here, depending on your dietary needs. I don’t recommend substituting other oils, like vegetable oil or olive oil here.
- Cocoa Powder. I recommend natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli), rather than Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/flourless-chocolate-cake/Recipe originally shared February 2017. Updated with step-by-step photos, additional recipe notes, and new video and republished January 2026.
Could I make this in a glass circular pie dish? I have that and a cast iron skillet. And a very small metal cake pan that I could potentially do this in batches!
Hi Kim! You can certainly try! You’d need to know the diameter and depth of the pans to get a good estimate of the bake time, but you can try.
In general, I recommend a metal pan here since it will conduct heat more gently and evenly. Of the options you have, the glass pie pan may be your best choice since the cast iron would be more likely to over-bake the cake, but the cake will likely take longer to bake and may try to “climb” the sides of the pan, giving it a more sunken or uneven appearance later.
Otherwise, you might want to opt for a different chocolate dessert, like our dairy-free chocolate pie that could easily be made in your glass pie pan!
can I sub avocado oil for the coconut oil
I don’t recommend it in this cake, since the subtle sweetness of the coconut helps bring out the chocolate flavor. A reader in the past used avocado oil and reported that they could taste it in the cake. But, if that doesn’t bother you, you could try it! It will also be slightly more dense with avocado oil than coconut oil.
Question: would it be possible to prepare the batter the day before and let it sit in the fridge until I need it?
I wouldn’t probably recommend it for best results.
Why are the carbs so high without using flour?
I feel like 16-17 grams per serving isn’t bad at all for a cake! The carbs come from the pure maple syrup and the unsweetened chocolate.
I’m excited to make this. How far ahead can it be made without having to freeze it?
Most gluten-free baked goods only stay fresh 2-3 days at room temperature. I wouldn’t make it further than a day in advance without freezing it!
Finally a dessert that’s chocolate enough Thank you. I omitted vanilla and the raspberry sauce, and substituted agave nectar for maple syrup. I think it looks like brownies. I cut the round layer in 16 or more pieces and a singke piece is surprisingly satisfying. I froze the part I didn’t eat immediately and can take a sliver when wanted, comfortably edible without thawing, and it reminds me of semi-sweet chocolate cheesecake. Thumbs up!
YUM! So glad you loved it!
This is delicious! It was exactly what I was hoping for! Really rich and smooth. Will definitely be making it again and looking forward to freezing some slices for the future!
I’m so glad to hear that Kelly!!!
Good
Good Morning! Would it be possible to substitute granulated sugar for the maple syrup in a pinch? Another question: the best coconut oil to use is the one in the jar which is hard, not in liquid form in a bottle? Excited to try this recipe for the first time.
Hi, Leslie! I haven’t made this one with regular sugar before, but in general, you need double the amount of granulated sugar as you do liquid for the ratios of wet to dry ingredients to turn out properly. Any substitutions or swaps will have an impact on the final bake, so when possible, I recommend using exactly what’s called for when baking. As for coconut oil, yes! You’ll want to scoop and melt solid coconut oil from a jar rather than using the liquid form in a bottle.
If sugar isn’t a problem for you, you might actually love this peppermint flourless chocolate recipe made without the peppermint.
Hiya,
Wondering if you can share some brands of chocolate baking bars or chips that are V + GF ? I think the costco semi sweet chocolate chips are, was thinking of trying that but wondering if you think it may come out too sweet?
Thank you!
Hi, Carissa! You want to use unsweetened chocolate in this recipe. Simple bars (like Baker’s brand) or Lindt unsweetened bars are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free since they’re 100% cacao.
I’ve made this recipe a number of times for dinner parties and it is always a huge hit! I’m always sad there aren’t leftovers as it is so chocolatey delicious!! If I double the recipe do I have to make two cakes or can I use one pan and bake it longer?
Hi, Julie! I’m so glad you’re loving it! For the easiest and most consistent results, I’d recommend making two separate cakes.
Thank you for your quick response!
You bet!
Would using a silicone cake pan work for this? 🙂
Silicone conducts heat very differently than metal, and I would not recommend it for this cake.
In your post it says it freezes like a dream????
Yep! You can slice and freeze flourless chocolate cake with no trouble, which means it’s great for making ahead of time (or pulling out a single slice on a day when it would hit the spot).
Can I use plant based chocolate. If so how much is 4 oz in chocolate chips!
Dairy-free/vegan chocolate is what I used as well–it works great! 4 oz is 2/3 cups chocolate chips.
Liked this a lot.
Just like the pictures!
Reeeally good.
This is one of the best Paleo dessert recipes I’ve tried (if not THE best). My family gave feedback along the lines of “I could eat this entire cake right now” and “this is restaurant-quality.” Thank you for the outstanding recipe! Will definitely be making this one again ❤️
THIS REVIEW!!!! I’m so glad you loved it Jules! It’s always a winner at my house, too 🙂
This turned out so well! It came together quickly and resulted in a rich, delicious cake. The coconut adds a really nice flavor. I did end up having to bake it for nearly double the time (about 30 minutes) though that may be because I used an enameled cast iron dish. Will definitely make this again!
I’m SO glad you loved it Grace! It sounds like a big hit! (and I think you’re right about the bake time–the enameled cast iron dish would cook differently than a thin metal tart dish!)
Excellent recipe! Made this for a Christmas party and was a hit. hubby loved it and asked for it for his birthday cake since he cut gluten and dairy from his diet. thank you!!
Oh, I’m SO GLAD to hear this!!!
A family member can only have avocado oil or sunflower oil. Would either of those work instead of coconut/butter? Should I adjust anything else with the recipe?
You can give it a try! I think the results will be similar. 🙂
The cake was easy to do. Looks and smells great. Will try it tomorrow for a special event. How should I store the cake till I need it tomorrow? Thank you
For best results, I’d cover it and store in the fridge till tomorrow. Then, pull it out about an hour in advance so it can warm to room temperature. Best of luck at your event!!!
Hi, I know you recommended not using avocado oil. However I’m trying to make a cake that is coconut free (my allergy) and dairy free (my niece’s allergy). Do you think it could still possibly work with olive oil? Thanks so much!
Becca – the olive oil would likely affect the taste. If you’re ok with that taste, you could probably try it as a substitute. Otherwise, melted dairy free butter might be the way to go!
I used ghee instead of coconut oil or butter though extra-light olive oil is a great suggestion. I do think the ghee flavor was strong so I may try extra light olive oil next time!
Sounds like a great plan!
Can I use liquid coconut oil or does it have to be the hard kind?
Great question! If you’re talking about jarred coconut oil (that’s firm when it gets cold and can be liquid when warm), it’s fine if it’s already melted. Fractionated coconut oil (that’s always liquid) may behave slightly differently.
You’re melting the coconut oil with chocolate chips, so it will eventually get melted no matter what kind you use. Fractionated coconut oil just has a slightly different structure, so it may give you different results.
Perfect Valentine’s Day cake! So fudge-y, rich, moist, and not too sweet. Made a powdered sugar heart on top. And I can’t believe it’s both gluten-free AND dairy free! The whole family loved it! Thank you so much. I’ll be making this again for sure!
Amazing recipe! My whole family is obsessed! Thank you Emily! I have made it 3 times following the exact directions and it is perfect. This is a new “go to” for holidays!
Hooray! I am so happy to hear it. Thank you for sharing!
I’m excited to try this! Do you think it would work to add some ground coffee and make it a chocolate espresso cake? I’ve usually done that by mixing instant espresso with a tablespoon or two of hot water, before adding it into the batter. I’m hoping that’s not too much extra liquid? Also, any thoughts on whether coconut oil or a vegan butter like Earth Balance might work better?
Shaina – Hi! I’m not a coffee person, so I’m not totally sure how to advise you on adding an espresso twist. I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try! As for coconut oil or butter–I’ve done both and they both work great! I made the ones I photographed and made in the video with coconut oil. It adds a very subtle flavor, but doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the cake to me. Otherwise, vegan butter works great!
Can I use avocado oil instead of coconut oil?
Trying to limit saturated fats.
I wouldn’t recommend it here because it’s structurally slightly different. (Coconut oil, like butter) goes solid at room temperature. It also adds a complementary slight sweetness to the cake and if you use avocado oil it’ll taste a bit flat. I’m sorry!
How would this turn out if I doubled the recipe and put it in a 9 inch spring form?
Joy – That’s a great question. I haven’t tried it that way, so I don’t feel like I could advise you for sure. You’d definitely need to bake it a bit longer. I’m not sure how the rise might go. It might go totally fine, or it might be a bit heavy and not rise as much. If you try it, I’d love to know how it goes!
It would need to cook a bit longer. I just made it in a 9″ springform & it’s like ½” thick. This is definitely a recipe for an 8″ pan. I made a non vegan version & its also delicious. The raspberry makes it.
This looks great! could the eggs be possibly substituted for applesauce or a chia egg (to keep it vegan)? thank you
Sacha – I haven’t tested it with egg substitutes, but I don’t think it would work for this cake. Applesauce and chia eggs would likely both impact the texture of the cake and you wouldn’t get the same puff that you get with an egg. I’m sorry!
This turned out perfect! The people who had problems obviously can’t read. Her directions are great – just read them and follow them! I loved the taste of this rich cake with fresh raspberries and dairy free whipped cream – perfect for my dairy free gluten free daughter and grand daughter because I didn’t have to go to the store and purchase some obscure ingredients that will only go bad in my cupboard. Plus, I learned a new trick to get difficult cakes out of the pan – it worked just great.
Evelyn – I’m glad you enjoyed the cake! It’s one of our favorites for special occasions. So glad it was a hit for you, too! 🙂
Can I substitute date paste for the maple syrup/honey?
This may be my bday cake…
Rob – I haven’t tested it with date paste. Usually, date paste isn’t quite a 1:1 substitute texture-wise for recipes like this, but I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Made this today and my friends loved it! I used sweetened dark baking chocolate and grade A maple syrup and it was perfect. Not too bitter, not too sweet. My friend’s discerning 3 year old boy loved it too! The raspberry sauce was deemed unnecessary as it detracted from the chocolate brownie as they called it which was rich and fudgy and moist but not overwhelmingly sweet. Friends did suggest ice cream or whipped cream as listed in the website which I may consider.
Thanks very much for this easy win to dinner parties! It’s my go-to chocolate perfection now!
How fantastic! I’m so glad you all loved it! We LOVE this one so much! (I love the whipped cream + toasted almonds combo or a scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream!)
By now my number one choc cake recipe. I use butter and 70% dark chocolate and 1/2 a cup of honey and it’s AMAZING! Everyone says Wow and goes for another piece! Brilliant, thank you.
I’m so happy to hear that Antoinette! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 You made my day!
Delicious cake. I ended up making it twice in one day because the first time I made it some of the batter leaked out of the spring form and there was smoke in the oven. Both times it turned out perfectly. I used gluten free 70% cocoa chips, coconut oil, and the maple syrup. Cake was super light but rich. Would make it again in a heart beat.
Gigi – I’m SO glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorite desserts for a special occasion 🙂
I don’t normally comment online, but this recipe is so outstanding that I had to leave a review and praise Emily!! I often wonder why sweets with maple syrup or honey aren’t more popular. My husband and I loooove sweets, but want to keep our sugar down…and this cake delivers! He loved it! I only had a small bell shaped cake pan, maybe 8″, but it worked perfectly! In fact, it ended up being about 1 1/2″ tall. It looks and tastes like a dessert from a high-end restaurant. I think it will be even more amazing when I add a little whip cream or something! I was worried about some of the comments that said it wasn’t sweet enough, but ours was. We used JRiley maple syrup out of Redlands, CA — not a product plug, but important to mention because it is all natural, but the sweetest maple syrup I’ve ever had. What a great result!
WOW! Mandy- Thank you so much for leaving this comment! You totally made my day. I’m SO happy you enjoyed it! (And I’m off to check out JRiley syrup!)
My doctor recently told me to not eat gluten and dairy! It’s been a rough adjustment as those were two staples of my diet 🙂 thank you for this recipe! It is nice to still have sweets to enjoy. One question: what’s the best way to store the leftovers?
Cay – I TOTALLY understand! It was so overwhelming to us at first, but it gets easier and easier all the time. Hopefully it will to you, too! As for storing the cake, I usually keep my leftovers in the fridge or freezer. I like freezing individual slices so I can pull one out when the cravings hit 😉
It says this recipe is dairy free, but 3 eggs are required
Yep! Eggs aren’t dairy. Dairy is defined as “containing or made from milk.” Since eggs come from chickens and don’t contain any milk (dairy), they aren’t considered dairy. (They’re just typically sold in the dairy section at the grocery store). I hope that helps!
Should I use refined or unrefined/virgin coconut oil?
Either will work! I use virgin when I make it. 🙂
Many thanks for this recipe! I’ve been searching for some kind of cake for my adult son who avoids flour, dairy and table sugar. I made this for his birthday (so easy, too) and he was so impressed. He had two pieces. He asked to see the recipe! My grandkids ate theirs with whipped cream. So good!
Oh how wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that.
Can this cake be successfully frosted? I’m assuming no, but …
Also, I assume this is less sweet than your brownies?
💕
Hi Cassandra! It *is* less sweet than the brownies (it’s more dark chocolate/bittersweet in taste, where the brownies are more semi-sweet).
The top is a bit light and crackly, so a frosting might be a bit thick for it (and peel off the top layer), but you could probably get along with a thinner glaze or ganache!
Great! 😁
Thanks for the reply.
I made this for a holiday dessert as my son in law is dairy and gluten free. It was a major hit! I did use semi sweet chocolate and baked it in a torte pan with a removable bottom and it came out of the pan without a problem. The raspberry sauce was perfect with it.
I’m SO GLAD you guys loved it! It’s my favorite for special occasions!
Seriously—this cake is BEYOND amazing. I used the coconut oil and maple syrup and everyone that tried it RAVED ❤️ … we also did the raspberry sauce and whipped cream!
Yaaaaaay! I love hearing that. So glad you loved it as much as we do!
I made this for my little guy’s first birthday cake 🙂 He LOVED it!! (And so did the rest of the family!) We love super dark chocolate so I cut the pure maple syrup in half. It was divine! Thank you, Emily!
YUM! (and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your little guy!!!)
I made this for my friend’s birthday. Between she and he husband, they can’t eat grains, soy, nuts, dairy, night shades, strawberries, apples, etc. I was really excited for this recipe. When I made this recipe, the eggs seemed to separate out and formed a gelatenous goo on the bottom of the cake. I scraped it all off and the remaining cake was still yummy, just really thin! (and the gooey egg bits were delicious– almost had a creme brulee taste). But it was strange. I don’t think I would make it again.
That’s so strange! That’s never happened to me in all the times I’ve made this. I wonder if they didn’t get beaten in solidly enough at the start?
Hi Emily,
I tried baking this for the office for my birthday yesterday, but I failed badly. haha. I went for the honey option instead of maple syrup and I used egg replacement instead of egg and unfortunately the cake ended up hilariously flat. About 1-2mm.
It tastes delicious, but I’m wondering if you have any advice or ideas of what might have gone wrong…
…If it helps, I did cook it a bit too hot for the last 10 minutes (~going up from 375F slowly to 482F, because my ovens thermostat is broken, so I have to turn it up a little to keep it on). I then later tried to keep baking for a while, when it hadn’t risen… :s
Any tips appreciated! Thanks!
Yannick – I’ve been thinking about this for the last few days wondering what to recommend… I’m wondering if the egg replacer is the problem. The egg itself binds, but it also does puff up a bit and expand while cooking. I’m not sure which egg replace you used, but that may have had an impact. I also think the temperature issue probably had an impact. I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you!
Hi Emily,
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I used orgran no egg, egg replacer. That makes sense. Thanks for explaining. If the egg puffs up, maybe I’ll try to use some baking powder next time and get our oven fixed.
Thanks again. And rising apart, the cake tastes delicious! We are eating it anyway. We just keep it in the freezer too keep it together and then scrape it off and eat it with fresh raspberries. Haha. Thanks for me first vegan cake recipe. I’ll try to remember to write an update if I find a solution that works.
Yannick
I hope it does, Yannick! Thank you again for sharing!
Might this work by subbing gelatin for the eggs?
Emily – I’ve never tried using gelatin as a substitute for eggs! That’s a smart idea. I’m not sure about how it would work in this recipe since it’s a pretty essential part of the structure, but if you give it a try, I’d love to know how it goes!
I’m a little confused about beating the eggs. I can’t get them to “ribbon”. Instead they fluff and bubble. The recipe works even so, but I’m wondering if it would be better if the eggs “ribboned”.
I beat them by hand with a whisk.
I’ve looked online for tips, but they all say that eggs only ribbon when mixed with sugar.
I don’t want to add sugar, so I’m wondering you have any advice.
Thanks for your time.
Steve – So sorry for the confusion! I don’t add sugar to mine either. When I whisk them (by hand with a whisk), mine get lighter in color and do get bubbly as well. But the big thing to look for is that when I lift up my whisk, the eggs stream down in a smooth stream instead of in lumps. If you haven’t whisked them very much, they’ll plop off your whisk instead of streaming off the whisk. Does that help at all?
That does help, thanks! Now I’m more sure of what to look for.
I followed directions, greased the 9″ pan, cooled entirely , but it’s so moist that I’m having trouble trying to get it off the flat bottom section of the springform pan. I used a knife to go under the cake to try to get it off the pan. Afraid it will break if I slide it off . Any suggestions? The cake that got on the knife is out of this world.
(Guess I could get some tiny cups and scoop it into them, top with a raspberry if it does fall apart. )
Kathy – Hm… I don’t usually take it off the springform pan! I just remove the edges/casing and leave the cake on the bottom. I usually slice and serve right from the bottom of the pan (I put it on a pretty plate or something while it’s still on the pan). You might try that? Your cups and raspberry idea is adorable!
Hi
I am dairy free but not gluten free. I have almost two cups almond flour can I use reg flour to get to a full two cups?
Thanks
Tina
Tina – This one is a flourless chocolate cake. You won’t want to add any flour at all, or it’ll throw off the texture 🙂
Do you think this cake would work as cupcakes in the cupcake wrappers or would it stick to the papers?
Linda – Great question! I probably wouldn’t do this as cupcakes since it doesn’t rise at all. I think it’d just kind of be a mess, and the baking would be thrown off a bit. But, if you’re hoping to serve it to a group, my mom sometimes cuts up cakes/brownies/bars and puts the cut squares in little cupcake liners to serve. They look adorable and are easy to pick up at a get-together. You could even top them with different toppings in the liners!
How many carbs are there per slice please?
I don’t have nutrition facts on this one yet, but you’re welcome to plug it into any free online calculator! My favorite is MyFitnessPal (the free site or app).
I baked the cake in a square tin and cut it into small squares so hoping not to many carbs.
I made the cake and it was delish but it came out super flat….. like pizza slice thin haha. Any tips? Or is it supposed to be like that.
Hmm… it’s typically pretty flat, but I’d say mine’s at least 1″ tall. What size pan did you bake it in? I baked mine in a 10″ pan once and it was REALLY flat!
Can we use a sugar substitute?
I haven’t tested it with sugar alternatives, but my friend Carolyn LOVES using Swerve to keep things low-carb! It’s supposed to be a 1-to-1 substitute. Hope that helps!
Thanks! That is where I got it from!! I am going to try for tonight! Looks easy enough!
Yay! Hope you love it!
Hi Emily,
You’re a real life saver with this recipe. I’m teaching a Sunday School class tomorrow. Since February is “Love Month” I’m going to make this cake recipe for two reasons: #1 soooooo delicious and #2 I have 3 out of 6 children in the class who cannot have gluten, soy, corn or dairy products. I’ll be baking this cake in a sweet little heart shaped cake pan I’ve had for years and I know the kiddles will love this. All of them LOVE chocolate. Sure hope I can get this out the door tomorrow morning before “Mr Robin” finds its overnight hiding place. 😉
xoxo ~ Robin
Robin – You just MADE my day! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I hope all your Sunday School helpers loved it!
How far ahead can this be made?
I’ve made it a day ahead of time to serve later without it losing anything in taste or texture, but it’ll last several days in the fridge (at least 4) before it dries out. 🙂
This was delicious and easy! I’m a low carber so I used a cup of swerve sweetener ( I like sweet, rich chocolate) otherwise followed the recipe- used butter just for ease of measurement. Served it with fresh whipped cream and 2 sliced strawberries and it’s heavenly. Thank you for this recipe! It’ll be my go to for chocolate cravings.
That sounds delicious!
Maybe I missed something, but this cake is not dairy free-it has 3 eggs in it..it looks great, though!
Laura – You didn’t miss anything! Eggs aren’t dairy 🙂 They don’t contain any milk or milk proteins, but they are considered meat. They’re just sold in the same area as milk. So, while this cake is 100% dairy free, it is not vegan. Hope that helps!
I’ve heard you can substitute eggs with apple sauce for baking..
Susana – You can, though I’ve found in a recipe like this (or brownies), you loose a lot of the fudginess and get a more moist, dense cake-y texture.
Emily dearest, my coworker made this cake for me for my birthday after I gave her the recipe. You are a goddess! It’s so good! I hadn’t tried it before she made it, but knew that if it came from you, it would be delicious. Thank you, once again, for having fantastic recipes that are things I can eat!
Oh, this makes me SO SO HAPPY!!! I wish *I* could have been the one to make it for you, but I’m so glad you got to enjoy it. LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!
I wish you could’ve been the one to make it for me as well, but alas, we live in different states. Luff you!
I tried this recipe and loved it. Found the taste a bit bitter for me though. What would you suggest gfor next time? Should I add more maple? Use a dufferent chocolate to melt?
I will be trying the dirty risotto next!
It’s definitely on the darker side. You can try using semi-sweet chocolate instead of unsweetened next time which will give it a sweeter taste. Adding more syrup would probably mess with the consistency, but you’ll be safe using semi-sweet chocolate instead!
I have made this before also and preferred a bit more sweetnes also. I made a chocolate gance topping w whipping cream and a few semisweet choc chips melted to pour over it. Was pleasant . I wonder if 1/2 monk fruit syrup w 1/2 honey wd work too. It’s worth experimenting to get our g-gree lower carb chocolate fix, rt? .
Great suggestion Zigrid! Thanks for sharing!!
I made this recipe using a 9 inch springform pan. I chose the honey option, rather than the maple syrup. I baked it for 15 minutes, bubbly and gooey. Added 5 minutes. Still not “set” in the center. Added 5 minutes. Still not set. I finally took it out at the 25 minute mark. It was a gooey disaster. The flavor was wonderful, but the thing fell apart and was gooey. Also, it was very, very flat – more like a torte than a flourless. Finally, it was difficult to get out of the pan. I had greased the pan with coconut oil to keep it vegan. What did I do wrong?
Catherine – I’m confused, but I’d love to help. You used honey (which isn’t vegan) and coconut oil to grease the pan (which is). Did you put coconut oil in the cake or just greasing the pan? Did you use an egg substitute or eggs for the cake?