Perfect for a special event or holiday, yet easy enough for any day of the week, our flourless chocolate cake with cocoa powder is the best gluten-free chocolate torte around. We show you how to make it sugar-free/low carb too!
We are making our torte with Dutch-process cocoa powder, espresso powder, chocolate chips, butter, and sweeteners to make a decadent chocolate cake topped with a rich and delicious homemade chocolate ganache to make a WHOLE LOTTA YUM dessert that is simply amazing.
On Keto? Grab our FREE keto foods list here OR Snag our Keto Binder HERE
Flourless Chocolate Torte Recipe
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I knew it was time to dig out my recipe for homemade flourless chocolate cake with chocolate ganache. Not only is this homemade chocolate torte absolutely delicious, but it also helps my husband and I stick to our healthy eating plans because we can make this chocolate cake recipe both gluten-free (it's naturally gluten-free!)and keto-friendly by using 1:1 sweeter substitutes.
We like to top our flourless chocolate cake recipe with keto whipped cream and berries for a rich and decadent dessert experience.
Why You'll Love This!
- Our flourless chocolate cake with cocoa powder and chocolate ganache is the BEST way to enjoy a rich and decadent dessert for any special occasion that calls for a chocolate cake.
- Just a single layer high, but never short on flavor, this flourless chocolate torte is rich and creamy thanks to the Dutch process cocoa powder and espresso powder.
- Our flourless chocolate torte recipe is the perfect dessert option when you are looking for sweet treats that comply with gluten-free, keto, low-carbs, and sugar-free lifestyles.
- Customize it by topping it with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or berries. The rich andn creamy ganache is optional, but highly recommended!
Are you looking for more gluten-free dessert options to help support your healthy lifestyle but also satisfy your sweet tooth? We've got you covered with gluten-free peanut butter cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, and 10-minute baked peaches!
Ingredient Notes
While our flourless chocolate cake recipe will use many of the same ingredients a traditional chocolate cake would, you will notice that we don't have any flour anywhere in our recipe making sure you can enjoy a gluten-free chocolate cake.
- semi sweet chocolate chips - Your favorite brand of chips or Lily's or Lakanto for sugar-free
- butter - regular butter with salt at room temperature
- sweetener - granulated sugar or monk fruit/erythritol for sugar-free
- instant espresso powder - optional but amazing
- vanilla extract
- large eggs
- Dutch process cocoa powder - NOT standard cocoa powder
- Garnish- sifted Dutch process cocoa powder or powdered sweetener
Ganache Ingredients
- chocolate chips
- heavy whipping cream
** Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact quantities **
Variations
- The espresso helps to bring out the flavor of the chocolate but it's totally optional. We used a high-quality instant espresso powder.
- Feel free to swap the vanilla extract for a little alcohol like Kahlua, Bailey's or rum!
Diet Adaptions
- Keto - To ensure you are making a low carb keto chocolate torte, be sure to use keto-approved sweeteners like monk fruit, or erythritol (Swerve brand is popular).
Step by Step Instructions
A bowl, a spatula, and a whole lot of chocolate are all you need to make your very own homemade flourless chocolate cake.
Well, that and some stirring and sifting and microwaving... but, it's all truly worth it.
Prep Ingredients
Preheat the oven to 375 F and have the oven rack in the center position.
Grease the bottom of an 8" cake pan or 8" springform pan, add an 8" circle of parchment paper, and grease that lightly too.
Assemble
Add the chocolate chips and butter to a medium-size glass mixing bowl. Microwave the chips and butter in 30-second increments until they're just melted (60-90 seconds). Stir to combine well. A double boiler on the stovetop over medium-low heat can be used instead to melt the chocolate and butter.
Stir in the granulated sweetener, espresso powder if you're using it, and the vanilla extract. Mix well.
Add the eggs, beating them briefly into the mix until they're smooth.
Mix in the Dutch-process cocoa powder.
**NOTE: You must use Dutch-process cocoa powder and NOT standard unsweetened cocoa powder that is very bitter--you'll ruin the cake if you don't use Dutch-process cocoa powder).
Spoon the batter into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
Bake
Bake the flourless chocolate cake for about 25 minutes, or until the torte jiggles slightly in the center but is almost all the way set. The top will no longer be shiny and it'll have a very thin "crust" on the top.
Let the cake rest for 10 minutes in the pan and then unmold it.
Ganache & Garnish
To make the ganache topping combine chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds then stir and microwave for another 15 seconds. Drizzle on your cooked cake prior to cutting.
Dust the cake with sifted Dutch-process cocoa or powdered sweeteners like powdered sugar OR Lakanto monk fruit or Swerve for sugar-free/low carb.
After cutting it into slices you can top it with fruit like raspberries and whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Be very careful microwaving the chocolate, it can burn very quickly. Remove the chocolate from the microwave when the chips are almost melted, they'll finish melting when you stir the mix. You can melt the chocolate over the stove using a double boiler instead, which is easier to keep an eye on.
- To make the cake easier to cut, run a sharp knife under hot water after each slice. It will give you smooth cuts.
- If you don't have a 8" springform pan you can use a standard 8" cake pan instead! You'll still grease it and add parchment paper like a springform pan. Loosen the edges with a table knife and turn it over onto a serving plate. The top will now be on the bottom, and the edges will also crumble a bit. Add the ganache after the torte cools.
Common Questions
A flourless chocolate torte and a flourless chocolate cake are essentially the same things and as these two terms are used interchangeably. While it is possible to have a chocolate cake without flour that maybe uses almond flour instead, commonly, when people refer to a flourless cake they refer to the rich, dense, cake that contains no flour, flour substitute, or leavening ingredients to make it rise.
History says that the flourless chocolate torte possibly originated on the Italian island of Capri. One legend is that a princess from Austria married the kind of Naplesho who wanted an Austrian chocolate cake known as a Sacher cake and the chef made a flourless variation since flourless cakes are popular in Italy.
Torte cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Gluten Free Desserts
Looking for more dessert recipes?
Come connect with us on Instagram! Be sure to tag us (wholelotta.yum) when you make a recipe. You can also find us on Facebook, and Pinterest.
Flourless Chocolate Cake (Torte)
A gluten-free flourless chocolate torte cake with ganache and cocoa powder too. So rich and creamy! Make our sugar-free option to create a simple homemade low-carb and keto flourless chocolate cake. Serve with berries and whipped cream!
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (Lily's or Lakanto for sugar-free)
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup sweetener (granulated sugar or monk fruit/erythritol for sugar-free)
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder (NOT standard cocoa powder)
- Garnish- sifted Dutch process cocoa powder or powdered sweetener)
- GANACHE
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and have the oven rack in the center position.
- Grease the bottom of an 8" springform pan, add an 8" circle of parchment paper, and grease that lightly too.
- Add the chocolate chips and butter to a medium-size glass mixing bowl. Microwave the chips and butter in 30-second increments until they're melted (60-90 seconds). Stir to combine well. A double boiler on the stovetop over medium-low heat can be used instead to melt the chocolate and butter.
- Stir in the granulated sweetener, espresso powder if you're using it, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add the eggs, beating them briefly into the mix until they're smooth. Mix in the Dutch process cocoa powder. **NOTE: You must use Dutch process cocoa powder and NOT standard unsweetened cocoa powder that is very bitter--you'll ruin the cake if you don't use Dutch process cocoa powder).
- Spoon the batter into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
- Bake the flourless chocolate cake for about 25 minutes, or until the torte jiggles slightly in the center but is almost all the way set. The top will no longer be shiny and it'll have a very thin "crust" on the top.
- Let the cake rest for 10 minutes in the pan and then unmold it.
- Dust the cake with sifted Dutch process cocoa or powdered sweeteners like powdered sugar OR Lakanto monk fruit or Swerve for sugar-free/low carb. After cutting it into slices you can top it with fruit like raspberries and whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
- To make the ganache: combine chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds then stir and microwave for another 15 seconds. Drizzle on your cooked cake prior to cutting.
Notes
DUTCH process cocoa powder MUST be used and not standard unsweetened cocoa powder. Standard unsweetened cocoa powder is very bitter, whereas unsweetened Dutch-process is not. (Like seriously, it makes a huge difference).
Be very careful microwaving the chocolate, it can burn very quickly. Remove the chocolate from the microwave when the chips are almost melted, they'll finish melting when you stir the mix. You can melt the chocolate over the stove using a double boiler instead, which is easier to keep an eye on.
The espresso helps to bring out the flavor of the chocolate but it's totally optional. We used a high-quality instant espresso powder.
Feel free to swap the vanilla extract for a little alcohol like Kahlua, Bailey's or rum! Adding a tiny extra would be okay too 😉
To make the cake easier to cut, run a sharp knife under hot water after each slice. It will give you smooth cuts.
If you don't have an 8" springform pan you can use a standard 8" cake pan instead! You'll still grease it and add parchment paper like a springform pan. Loosen the edges with a table knife and turn it over onto a serving plate. The top will now be on the bottom, and the edges will also crumble a bit. Add the ganache after the torte cools.
Leave a Reply