A Flourless Chocolate Cake Perfect for Passover
We’re back with an incredibly delicious dessert recipe, thanks to our friend and baker, Amanda Wilens. With the upcoming Passover holiday in mind, we present to you Amanda’s Flourless Chocolate Cake. During the seven days of Passover, Jewish people refrain from eating leavened bread and baked goods made with yeast. Since this chocolate cake has no flour in it, it is both Kosher for Passover, and happens to be gluten-free and grain-free.
But whether you require a flour-free dessert or not, we think you will be a big fan of her mouthwatering {and beautiful} dessert. This recipe makes one 6” flourless chocolate cake. Perfect for a small gathering or family dinner. The cake is rich and decadent and super chocolatey. The top cracks and looks messy, but beautiful. It adds a wonderful texture to the cake.
There are some really fun ways to decorate this cake. You can leave the crackled top as is and add a little sifted powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder to the top, or you can add on the whipped cream recipe included below and garnish with some fruit or even edible flowers. Amanda used blackberries that she painted with some luster dust. She took gold luster dust and a food safe paint brush she uses for pastries, never for arts and crafts. One with a bushy tip is great. Take a dry berry, dip brush into the luster dust, then dap or paint it onto the berry! It’s that simple. Then add on top of the whipped cream.
Once you’ve made the cake, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and is best if eaten within a few days of baking. If you plan on baking this in advance of serving it, add whipped cream only just before serving.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Yields: 6 Servings
Ingredients
Equipment
- 6” springform pan*
Cake
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, extra for greasing pan
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate chips, good quality
- 3 eggs, large and separated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3.5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/8 tsp salt
Whipped Cream
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 Tbsp powdered sugar
Toppings
- Confectioner’s sugar or cocoa powder, optional
- Blackberries, optional
- Gold luster dust, optional
Cake Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 300° F. Prepare a 6” springform pan* with butter and parchment paper**.
2. Cut butter up into cubes. In a large microwave bowl add your chocolate and butter together. Place it in the microwave for 30 second intervals, mixing each 30 seconds until smooth, usually takes between 1-2 minutes total (you can also do this on a double broiler). Allow this mixture to cool for 5-6 minutes (so you don’t cook your eggs).
3. In your stand mixer, or by hand, with the whisk attachment beat the egg whites. On a stand mixer use a medium speed (4) for about 5 minutes, until peaks form. Slowly add in granulated sugar until glossy. Then whip for about 1-2 minutes on speed 4. You want stiff glossy peaks.
4. Whisk in egg yolks to the slightly cooled chocolate mixture, until combined.
5. Slowly pour chocolate/egg mixture into egg whites. On stir or low setting, mix until combined and no more egg white are visible, 30-60 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
6. Add in vanilla extract and salt and mix slowly to incorporate. Sift in the cocoa powder and mix slowly until incorporated, 30-60 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
7. Pour batter into the prepared springform pan, spread evenly with your rubber spatula. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until no longer jiggly. Or do a cake test with a toothpick in the center of the cake. It should come out with just a few crumbs. The cake will rise higher and the top will crack. This is normal and will slowly deflate as it cools.***
8. Allow to cool completely and remove from the pan. If you are removing from a normal cake pan, not a springform, try to remove after about 10 minutes so it’s easier to do so.
Whipped Cream Instructions
1. Pour heavy whipping cream into the bowl of your stand mixer (or can be done by hand). Using the whisk attachment, beat on a medium speed until soft peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add in vanilla and sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Be careful to not over whip. You can do short 20-30 second intervals to avoid over whipping.
Assembly
1. Place cake on your serving dish or stand.
2. Sift powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder on top. You can stop after this step if you don’t wish to add whipped cream.
3. Gently dollop whipped cream on top and use a spoon or offset spatula to spread.
4. Add on fruit and dust with luster dust using a food safe paintbrush, if you wish.
5. Serve!
Notes
*You can use a regular cake pan, but you need to be careful removing it or just leave in the pan to serve. As the top cracks, it can be tough to remove.
**I rub butter along the bottom and sides of the pan. Then I place a round piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.
***The top of a cake looks similar to a meringue, but very cracked. This is what you want.
Will you make Amanda’s Flourless Chocolate Cake?
Let us know in the comments below, and if you’re looking for more Passover recipes and tablescape ideas, check out some of Amanda’s on her website:
XO Team LC
Photos: Amanda Wilens, Amanda Wilens, Amanda Wilens, Amanda Wilens
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