Flourless Mexican Chocolate Cake

This cake is tender, rich and flavorful, very forgiving and a little naughty. Feel free to turn the heat up (or down) to suit your taste.

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me…

I am food-pushing granny trapped in, as of today, a forty-year-old body. For as long as I can remember I have loved feeding people. I didn’t really start cooking until I got married in my late 20s but I dabbled a bit before then. When I was a young girl I learned how to bake a really simple egg, cheese and tortilla dish at summer camp. You sprinkle enough shredded cheese around the inside edge of a tortilla so that when you crack an egg in the middle, the cheese border keeps the egg from running off of the tortilla. As it bakes the egg cooks and the cheese melts and there you have it. It required the use of the oven which was kind of a big deal. I made it for my dad and grandparents and I still remember the pride and satisfaction I felt as they ate (and at least pretended to enjoy) something that I made for them.

Nowadays, I cook and entertain A LOT. I’ve been ever so slowly working on getting a blog up and running – because the world needs another cooking blog. There are in fact so many food blogs now that I hesitate to make things I find on blogs I’m not familiar with. I don’t know who to trust! Pretty pictures don’t always mean great tasting food. We need an app to match our culinary likes and dislikes to compatible food blogs. A dating app for your palate… Who knows? Maybe it exists.

Here is the deal – I’m not a trained chef. Nor am I a professional writer, photographer or web anything. I am a home cook who has racked up a decent amount of kitchen and hosting experience over the last decade. And that includes plenty of cooking fails which happen on the regular. If you like to cook, or have someone in your life who likes to cook for you (SCORE!), check back often. When I find a great recipe I will share it with you. You can visit the about page to learn a little more about what influences my cooking and the kinds of recipes you can expect to find here.

Can you send me this recipe?

So let’s get started. When I began thinking about my first post, I quickly settled on this dessert recipe. I’ve been making it for years and almost everyone who tries it asks for the recipe. There are a ton of really good flourless chocolate cakes out there. I go back to this one time and again because it is the biggest bang for your buck I’ve found in terms of flavor and effort. The only special equipment required is a springform pan; it comes together in very few steps; and all of the ingredients are staples or things you can keep on hand making it a great last minute option. There is no whipping up and folding in of egg whites which is required for a lot of flourless cakes. It can be made ahead and it travels well. What more could you ask for?

What makes it “Mexican” as opposed to your run of the mill chocolate cake is the addition of cinnamon, chipotle chili powder and cayenne. It does have a kick so adjust the spice level to your liking. If you’re not a big fan of heat, cut out the cayenne altogether and start with 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder. And if you aren’t afraid to taste test cake batter containing raw eggs (I’m not), see what you think and go from there. The addition or absence of spices won’t affect the cake’s texture but don’t forget the salt! The original recipe calls for semisweet chocolate but I always use bittersweet for this – anywhere from 60% to 71% cacao.

Welcome to anatomy of a PINEAPPLE. I’m glad you’re here.

5 from 3 votes

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Flourless Mexican Chocolate Cake

This gluten-free cake is tender, rich and flavorful, very forgiving and a little naughty. Feel free to turn the heat up (or down) to suit your taste. 

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Course Dessert

Keyword cake, chocolate, gluten free, make ahead, potluck, vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8

Author Shannon Zerzan

Ingredients

• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao), roughly chopped
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• dash cayenne
• pinch kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottom of a 9 1/2 inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. Grease the sides of the pan and the parchment with butter.

2. Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or in the microwave. If using a microwave, heat in 30 seconds intervals, stirring between each interval until melted.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract. Slowly, a little bit at a time, whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Add the salt and spices. Taste and adjust spices as needed. 

4. Pour into springform pan and bake for 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Recipe Notes

To make ahead, let cool completely then cover with plastic wrap. It will keep at room temperature for a day or two or a little longer if refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Updated 05/15/2019 to include vanilla extract which I inadvertently left out.

***If you have a severe gluten allergy or sensitivity or otherwise are serious about eliminating gluten from your diet, always check your labels carefully and buy certified gluten free products.