Learn to make the very best wholesome flourless chocolate cake from scratch! This decadent dessert is supremely wealthy with a deep, daring, irresistible chocolate taste and a texture virtually like pure fudge. It makes use of widespread pantry staples and requires mere minutes to whip up, making it one of many best flourless chocolate cake recipes you’ll ever discover. It’s good for serving firm, celebrating particular events (particularly Valentine’s Day!)… And for any chocolate lover!
Whereas tagging alongside on my mother’s enterprise journey together with her coworker, the 2 of them invited me to hitch them for dinner the primary night time. We headed right down to the informal restaurant adjoining to the lodge foyer, and the hostess instantly seated us at a desk on the patio.
After we completed our entrées, the waiter stopped by and, with a small menu in his hand and a twinkle in his eye, requested if he may tempt us with dessert. We momentarily glanced at one another, grinned, and enthusiastically nodded our heads in unison. He chuckled as he set down the placard.
Minutes later, three spoons and a white plate appeared on our desk. The flourless chocolate cake sat within the heart, surrounded by recent raspberries, massive droplets of raspberry coulis, and a small scoop of house-made vanilla bean ice cream.
We took turns gently carving out bites, the wealthy and dense dessert melting on our tongues, but simply midway by, the opposite two girls laid their spoons again on the desk and proclaimed themselves achieved. My eyes widened as I checked out them.
“Are you positive?” I requested. “You imply it? You’re constructive you don’t need any extra?”
After they each reassured me they had been full, I attempted actually laborious to not wiggle in my seat. I’ll have failed… As a result of my abdomen and mind had been each dancing in pleasure — the second half of that decadent dessert was all mine!
After returning dwelling from that journey, I scribbled down a be aware to myself to strive recreating a more healthy, lightened-up model. It took fairly a couple of tries, however the end result was fully definitely worth the wait. This final wholesome flourless chocolate cake tastes even higher than the one we ate that night time — and it’s shockingly easy to make!
QUICK OVERVIEW – HEALTHY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Problem: Straightforward, together with for a lot of newbie bakers.
Style: Very wealthy and decadent with a deep, robust, daring chocolate taste — much like 70-75% darkish chocolate.
Texture: Extremely moist, clean, and dense with a fudge-like consistency.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A HEALTHY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Let’s discuss what you’ll must make this final wholesome flourless chocolate cake. Though it tastes identical to traditional recipes, the components to make this lightened-up model are a bit unconventional — aside from salt and vanilla, that’s! — however there’s nonetheless an excellent likelihood that you have already got all of them.
Unsweetened applesauce. That is the key star of your wholesome flourless chocolate cake! Unsweetened applesauce provides plenty of moisture and creates the proper clean, dense, fudge-like texture that’s so iconic of conventional flourless chocolate muffins. It additionally helps preserve your lightened-up cake low calorie and low fats!
I’ll cowl a bit extra about what the applesauce replaces quickly, however for now… Simply keep in mind that it’s some of the vital components on this chocolate cake.
And no — you received’t style any fruity flavors in your chocolate cake! I promise. Cross my coronary heart and pinky swear. 😉
Sweetener. Not like conventional recipes that decision for white granulated sugar, you’ll sweeten your wholesome flourless chocolate cake with coconut sugar as a substitute. Yup, it’s precisely what it feels like… An unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts! Nevertheless, it does not truly style like coconuts. It has a wealthy, caramel-like taste similar to brown sugar. You may normally discover coconut sugar on the baking aisle, proper subsequent to the opposite sugars.
Tip: Should you can’t discover coconut sugar, gentle brown sugar works equally properly!
Trace: Should you use coconut sugar, then your wholesome flourless chocolate cake will probably be paleo-friendly.
Milk. Nearly any sort will work, so use no matter you usually preserve within the fridge! That’s the fantastic thing about this explicit flourless chocolate cake recipe… It’s very easy and customizable to absolutely anything you have already got in your kitchen. No want for a particular journey to the grocery retailer!
Tip: I take advantage of unsweetened vanilla almond milk as a result of that’s what my household prefers. Should you do the identical, or use one other non-dairy milk, then your wholesome flourless chocolate cake will probably be dairy free and vegan!
Unsweetened cocoa powder. Together with the unsweetened applesauce, that is the opposite key ingredient to make your final wholesome flourless chocolate cake. It truly gives all the chocolate taste!
Whereas many conventional recipes name for chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, or a mixture of cocoa powder and both of these, I needed a cake that was fast and easy to whip up… Which meant avoiding the additional time required to soften chocolate and let it cool — or worrying about mixing the recent melted chocolate with eggs and someway, by accident, ending up with chocolate-streaked scrambled eggs.
Since virtually all of my brownie recipes rely solely on cocoa powder for his or her chocolate taste, I made a decision to offer {that a} strive right here as properly… And it labored like a appeal!
Nevertheless, with out another chocolate element on this cake, meaning the kind of cocoa powder you employ issues — quite a bit! For the very best outcomes, use regular unsweetened cocoa powder. It’s additionally known as “pure unsweetened cocoa powder,” and it’s gentle brown in shade with a powerful taste. Common unsweetened cocoa powder is barely acidic too, with a pH between 5 and 6. (For reference, water is impartial, with a pH of seven, and lemon juice is rather more acidic with a pH of about 2. I used to be a chemist earlier than I grew to become a baking blogger, so I like nerdy science tidbits like this! 😉 )
Compared, Dutched cocoa powder (generally known as “special dark” cocoa powder) is darker in shade, nevertheless it’s additionally handled with one thing throughout the manufacturing course of that offers it a impartial pH of round 7, identical to water. This implies it has a distinct taste than common unsweetened cocoa powder, one which’s usually weaker with much less pronounced of a chocolate style, and Dutched “particular darkish” cocoa powder additionally behaves in a different way in baking recipes due to its totally different pH.
Did I lose you? An excessive amount of science-speak??
In common phrases…
Dutched “particular darkish” cocoa powder earned its title as a result of it has a darker shade — not as a result of it has a darker or richer taste. It yields a distinct texture in baked items and has a blander, extra muted style. It’ll truly make your flourless chocolate cake style much less wealthy and chocolaty — not extra!
So keep on with common pure unsweetened cocoa powder for the very best wholesome flourless chocolate cake!
Tip: I take advantage of Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder essentially the most as a result of it’s inexpensive, simple to search out in virtually each retailer the place I stay, and has an excellent wealthy and powerful chocolate style.
No butter? That’s proper — this flourless chocolate cake is made with out butter! I alternated between utilizing oil (as a result of it’s simply so fast and simple!) and melted stick-style vegan butter (due to household and associates’ dietary wants!).
No matter which possibility you select, you merely want 1 scant tablespoon… Not like conventional recipes that decision for wherever from ½ cup to 1 full cup of butter. That small quantity actually helps preserve your wholesome flourless chocolate cake low fats and low calorie!
No eggs? Yup! This wholesome flourless chocolate cake is made with out eggs. I initially tried utilizing them, however I discovered the cake had a a lot higher moist and fudgy texture after I opted for unsweetened applesauce as a substitute. (It was additionally simpler to overbake the egg model, which was a bit stunning and irritating!)
So on this recipe, the applesauce replaces the eggs and many of the butter… Creates an additional fudgy texture… And makes your wholesome flourless chocolate cake vegan and far quicker to whip up! I name {that a} win-win-win-win. 😉
No melted chocolate? Proper once more! This flourless chocolate cake is made with out melted chocolate — semisweet, bittersweet, or 100% unsweetened. It’s additionally made with out chocolate chips. You simply want unsweetened cocoa powder, so it’s even quicker and simpler to make than conventional flourless chocolate muffins!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Now that you just’ve assembled your components, let’s cowl find out how to make this wholesome flourless chocolate cake. It’s fast and easy to whip up, however I nonetheless have some ideas so that you can be sure you find yourself with the very best style and texture. So let’s begin with…
Measure the cocoa powder accurately. Image me waving an enormous, chocolate brown flag and shouting this from the rooftops… That is SO essential — and fairly probably an important step in making this complete chocolate cake!
An excessive amount of cocoa powder will dry out the batter and make your cake crumbly or dry, somewhat than moist and fudgy. It’ll additionally make your cake style bitter.
So for the very best flourless chocolate cake style and texture — indulgently wealthy and really fudge-like — be actually cautious when measuring your cocoa powder. Use this method (and my particular fork trick!) or a kitchen scale (← that’s the one I personal!). I promise this cake is 100% value taking only a few further moments to measure accurately!
Sift the cocoa powder. A lot of the time, cocoa powder tends to be somewhat lumpy and clumpy straight out of the container. For a very clean and splendid cake texture, sift your cocoa powder previous to utilizing — however after measuring!
Progressively fold it in. Please… Fairly, fairly please… Promise me that you’ll not strive utilizing a stand mixer or hand-held mixer to make this flourless chocolate cake. These create a mushroom cloud of cocoa powder that flies up and out of your bowl. (Belief me… You’ll be coughing and spluttering and questioning why on this planet you ever thought a mixer was a good suggestion within the first place.)
As an alternative, use a spatula or a fork (my favourite trick — it’s quicker and extra environment friendly!) to regularly stir within the cocoa powder by hand. It takes extra time, nevertheless it’s much less messy — and it additionally ensures that all the cocoa powder makes it into your cake. 😉
And sure, regularly. Not abruptly! Should you add your complete quantity of sifted cocoa powder to the bowl on the similar time, it’ll reform clumps as you fold and stir… Which then ruins the work you simply did sifting it.
I do know, I do know. It’s not precisely the most enjoyable factor on this planet, to slowly stir in all of that fantastically sifted cocoa powder little by little, however I promise the luxuriously clean and fudgy texture of your flourless chocolate cake is completely value it in the long run!
Or use the “properly” technique should you’re brief on time. This can be a shortcut — nevertheless it requires a crucial eye! As an alternative of regularly folding within the sifted cocoa powder, you’ll be able to add it to a big bowl, make a properly within the heart, and pour the contents of the opposite bowl inside. Whenever you stir, a few of the cocoa powder will start to kind small clumps, so as soon as the batter seems prepared, look carefully and smear out any teensy tiny cocoa powder lumps alongside the aspect of the bowl.
Tip: It normally takes an additional two minutes or so of mild stirring to clean out these pinpricks of cocoa powder, so be affected person and thorough!
Line the pan with foil. Wax paper turns soggy and clings like loopy (even when coated with cooking spray!), and parchment paper doesn’t like to put flat (regardless of what number of instances you crumple and clean it out) and yields tough, jagged edges that make your cake resemble a sea urchin or anemone.
However foil is a winner! It’s simply pressed and smoothed into place, and it additionally makes it actually handy to carry your cake out of the pan once you’re able to slice and serve it.
Bake low + gradual. That is the tactic I take advantage of to make my brownie recipes, and it labored like a appeal for this wholesome flourless chocolate cake too! You’ll bake it at 300°F for an extended time period, which signifies that the sides don’t flip dry, crumbly, or crispy by the point the middle finishes baking during, like they typically do at increased temperatures. That ensures the very best, fudgiest texture possible all through your complete cake!
Cool, chill + be affected person. This is essential too! Let your cake cool fully to room temperature on the counter, then cowl it with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Identical to with cheesecake, chilling helps it set and creates the best moist, dense, and fudgy texture. I like to recommend refrigerating for not less than 8 hours, however in case you have the time, I discovered this flourless chocolate cake tasted greatest when chilled for twenty-four hours. It requires a little bit of planning forward, however the taste and texture are actually very good!
FAQS ABOUT THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Is that this final wholesome flourless chocolate cake gluten free, vegan, paleo, low calorie, or clear consuming?
Sure — to all the things! As a result of it’s flourless, it’s naturally gluten free. It’s made with out eggs, butter, or dairy, so it’s fully vegan as properly. As written, this chocolate cake incorporates no refined sugar, so it’s clear consuming and paleo. It’s low fats too!
Can I substitute one thing else for the unsweetened applesauce?
Should you can’t discover unsweetened applesauce, then sweetened applesauce could be the best choice. I haven’t tried the rest, so I can’t vouch for the outcomes of different alternate options.
Can I take advantage of a distinct milk?
You positive can! Nearly any milk will work, together with each common dairy ones (fats free, low fats, and so on) and non-dairy (almond, cashew, soy, and so on).
What’s the very best cocoa powder to make use of?
Common unsweetened cocoa powder! I take advantage of Hershey’s essentially the most. See the “unsweetened cocoa powder” header within the “Components to Make a Wholesome Flourless Chocolate Cake” part above for more information!
Can I take advantage of particular darkish cocoa powder?
I don’t suggest it. Dutched and “particular darkish” cocoa powder have a distinct acidity stage, which impacts the style and texture of your flourless chocolate cake. See the “unsweetened cocoa powder” header within the “Components to Make a Wholesome Flourless Chocolate Cake” part above for more information!
How will I do know when this flourless chocolate cake is finished?
The middle of your cake ought to look set and now not wiggle considerably once you shake the pan. Should you calmly contact the cake’s heart and prime edges along with your finger, they need to really feel mushy but agency — not sticky or moist. In case your cake deflates and noticeably pulls away from the perimeters of the pan inside 10 minutes of eradicating it from the oven, that’s a superb signal!
My cake tastes bitter, and it’s a bit dry. Why’s that?
There was most likely an excessive amount of cocoa powder within the batter. It’ll trigger each of these points. See the “measure the cocoa powder accurately” header within the “Tips on how to Make the Greatest Wholesome Flourless Chocolate Cake” part above for more information!
What occurs if I attempt to serve it earlier than it’s chilled for 8+ hours?
Your cake received’t be as moist and fudgy, and you might discover a slight apple taste within the background. I do know it’s actually laborious to attend that lengthy earlier than slicing and serving, nevertheless it makes a huge distinction in each the style and texture of this flourless chocolate cake. Should you can wait 24 hours, that’s even higher!
How ought to I retailer this flourless chocolate cake? And the way lengthy does it preserve?
Retailer it within the fridge tightly sealed in plastic wrap (this is my favourite type as a result of it clings rather more tightly than different manufacturers, so it retains baked items recent longer!) and foil or within an hermetic container with plastic wrap overlaying the uncovered edges. It ought to preserve for not less than 4 days, if not longer!
Able to dig in? And once you make your individual, bear in mind to snap an image and share it on Instagram utilizing #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photograph itself! (That ensures I’ll see your image! 🙂 ) I’d like to see your final wholesome flourless chocolate cake!
The Final Wholesome Flourless Chocolate Cake
I could also be biased, however that is my favourite flourless chocolate cake — and one of many best recipes you’ll ever discover! This decadent dessert is supremely wealthy with a deep, daring, irresistible chocolate taste (much like 70-75% darkish chocolate) and a texture virtually like pure fudge. It’s good for serving firm, celebrating particular events (particularly Valentine’s Day!)… And for any chocolate lover! Leftover cake will preserve for not less than 4 days, if not longer, if refrigerated after being (a) tightly sealed within plastic wrap and foil or (b) positioned within an hermetic container with plastic wrap overlaying the uncovered edges.
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 300°F. Utterly line a 6”-round cake pan with foil, folding the surplus excessive rim, and coat with cooking spray.
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In a medium bowl, stir collectively the oil, vanilla, and salt. Stir within the applesauce. Stir within the coconut sugar till totally mixed. Stir within the milk. Very regularly and punctiliously stir within the sifted cocoa powder by hand. (Don’t use a mixer!)
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Switch the batter to the ready pan. Bake at 300°F for 55-65 minutes, or till the middle seems set. (See Notes!) Cool fully to room temperature within the pan; then cowl the cake with plastic wrap, guaranteeing that it absolutely touches the highest floor of the cake, and chill for not less than 8 hours (see Notes!) earlier than lifting it out of the pan by the foil, slicing, and serving.
Notes
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: The cake is finished baking when the middle seems set and now not wiggles considerably once you shake the pan. Should you calmly contact the cake’s heart and prime edges along with your finger, they need to really feel mushy but agency — not sticky or moist. Though it could rise whereas baking, it ought to shortly deflate and sink because it cools. If the sides noticeably draw back from the foil by an honest quantity inside 10 minutes of eradicating the cake from the oven, that’s a superb signal that you just’ve baked it lengthy sufficient!
These are the 6”-round cake pans that I personal. I haven’t tried another pan sizes, however you’re welcome to experiment by yourself! Different bigger pan sizes will doubtless scale back the baking time.
IMPORTANT CHILLING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Should you serve your cake earlier than it’s had sufficient time to relax, it received’t be as moist or fudgy, and you might detect an apple taste within the background. In case you have sufficient time to plan forward, I discovered that it had the very best style and texture after chilling for twenty-four hours.
MIXING SHORTCUT: This requires a very crucial eye! On the finish of Step 2, as a substitute of regularly folding within the sifted cocoa powder, you’ll be able to add it to a big bowl, make a properly within the heart, and pour the contents of the opposite bowl inside. Whenever you stir, a few of the cocoa powder will start to kind small clumps, so as soon as the batter seems prepared, look very carefully and smear out any tiny lumps alongside the aspect of the bowl. It normally takes an additional two minutes or so of mild stirring to clean out these pinpricks of cocoa powder, so be affected person and thorough!
OIL ALTERNATIVES: Any impartial tasting oil could also be substituted. Unsalted butter or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one) which were melted and cooled barely may also work.
UNSWEETENED APPLESAUCE ALTERNATIVE: Sweetened applesauce could also be substituted for the unsweetened applesauce. I haven’t tried another choices, so I’m not personally positive about what different alternate options may work.
COCONUT SUGAR ALTERNATIVE: Gentle brown sugar could also be substituted for the coconut sugar. I haven’t discovered a superb sugar free various simply but, however I’m engaged on it and can replace the recipe if I do!
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk could also be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
COCOA POWDER NOTES: I like utilizing Hershey’s regular unsweetened cocoa powder as a result of it’s inexpensive, simple to search out, and has a superb chocolate taste. I do not suggest substituting Dutched or particular darkish cocoa powder. Each Dutched and particular darkish cocoa powder have a distinct acidity stage, which impacts the style and texture of your cake.
GLUTEN FREE OPTION: No modifications wanted!
EGG FREE, DAIRY FREE + VEGAN OPTION: No modifications wanted!
NUT FREE ALTERNATIVE: Use your most popular impartial tasting nut free oil (or unsalted butter that’s been melted and cooled barely), gentle brown sugar rather than the coconut sugar, and your most popular nut free milk for the almond milk.
HOW TO STORE: Retailer it within the fridge tightly sealed in plastic wrap (this is my favourite type as a result of it clings rather more tightly than different manufacturers, so it retains baked items recent longer!) and foil or within an hermetic container with plastic wrap overlaying the uncovered edges. It ought to preserve for not less than 4 days, if not longer.
{gluten free, egg free, dairy free, vegan, clear consuming, low fats, nut free possibility}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You might also like Amy’s different recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Carrot Cake
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Red Velvet Cupcakes
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Truffles
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Bundt Cake
♡ Healthy Vanilla Bean Cake
♡ Healthy Flourless Chocolate Chunk Brownie Bites
♡ Healthy Practically Flourless & Extra Fudgy Brownies
♡ …and the remainder of Amy’s healthy chocolate-flavored recipes!
