Flourless Chocolate Cloud Cake

Get into the decadent world of chocolate with this flourless chocolate cloud cake recipe featuring a fudgy and rich chocolate cake crumb completely gluten-free. Get ready to experience pure chocolate bliss in every bite.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• More Chocolate Cakes
• Ingredients and substitutions
• How to Make French Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
• Serving Suggestions
• FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
• Storage and Freeze instructions
• Successful Tips
• You will also love
• Flourless Chocolate Cloud Cake

Why you'll love this recipe

This flourless chocolate cloud cake in the style of a fallen cake is certainly the best chocolate cake along with my French chocolate fondant recipe.

This recipe is incredible bringing together a fudgy texture with a rich chocolate taste in a fluffy, crackly topped cake without an ounce of flour which makes this recipe gluten-free and therefore light.

You won't find any baking powder or baking soda in this recipe, thanks to the whipped egg whites which bring an airy texture a bit like a chocolate mousse.

• Made with both cocoa powder and melted chocolate for an ultra-rich texture and delicious real-chocolate flavor.
• A light, fluffy chocolate cake with a moist, fondant-like texture that puffs up when baked like a chocolate souflé.
• A crunchy, shiny cracked top that's like a brownie and seriously needs to be matched with a raspberry coulis or a homemade whipped cream and fresh fruit.
• Naturally gluten-free (flourless cake) for a light cake with a rich chocolate flavor.

More Chocolate Cakes

Ingredients and substitutions

• Chocolate: Basic ingredient in this recipe, for a nice chocolate taste, use a quality bittersweet chocolate with at least 64% cocoa. (70% is ideal). Although this recipe can also be prepared with semi-sweet chocolate chips. Remember to reduce the amount of sugar a bit since it is made up of half sugar.
• Butter: Unsalted butter, cut into cubes, cold or at room temperature, it doesn't matter because it will be melted with the chocolate in a double boiler. If you use salted butter then remove the salt from the ingredient list.
• Sugar: Use unrefined sugar preferably, brown sugar or cane sugar for more flavor. You can replace it with white granulated sugar but avoid powdered sugar.
• Eggs: Medium-sized eggs, preferably fresh, not several days old. Remember to separate the whites from the yolks when they are cold and use them when they are at room temperature.
• Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder, (dutch process cocoa powder ) a small amount to support the dark chocolate and give it an even more chocolatey taste.
• Espresso coffee: It's optional, but the taste of espresso coffee adds a delicate hint of spiciness to dark chocolate. Use instant espresso coffee powder. And don't worry, your cake won't taste like coffee at all.
• Vanilla extract: Essential for flavoring all sweet recipes, use pure, liquid vanilla extract that goes perfectly with chocolate cake.
• Salt: Salt is a flavor enhancer, add a small pinch of sea salt to bring out all the flavors and especially that of the chocolate.

Material: Springform 8 inch cake pan (20 cm diameter), electric mixer or stand mixer is required to beat the egg whites.

How to Make French Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Melt chocolate and butter

• Place the butter cut into pieces with the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.
• Place the bowl over a saucepan containing a bit of hot water and heat over medium heat to melt in a double boiler until the mixture is completely melted and smooth without lumps.
• Then set aside.

Tip: You can also melt them in the microwave using a microwave-safe bowl and on low power in 1-minute increments.

Beat the eggs, sugar and cocoa

• In another large bowl, place the egg yolks, brown sugar, vanilla extract, unsweetened cocoa powder, instant espresso powder and salt.
• Beat with a hand whisk or electric mixer for a few moments until smooth and slightly lighter.
• Add the melted chocolate mixture into the egg batter and mix again to incorporate.

Tip: Mix the egg yolks with the sugar until it begins to dissolve and the mixture is smooth and slightly fluffy.

Fold in the whipped egg whites

• Place egg whites in a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold whites into the mixture with a spatula, working in circular motions from the inside to the outside until fluffy and smooth.

Tip: Incorporate the whipped egg whites as gently as possible to avoid breaking them and making the batter fall. You can also add chopped walnuts to the mixture to add some crunch.

Baking

• Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165 °C fan oven and grease a round springform pan of 8 inch/ 20 cm diameter with parchment paper.
• Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with an angled spatula.
• Bake in the oven for about 45-50 minutes, checking with a knife blade or a toothpick inserted in the center it should come out with a few crumbs and not liquid batter.
• Let the chocolate cake cool completely before unmolding and place it on a serving plate.
• Cut the cooled cake with a large knife and serve with whipped cream.

Tip: The cake batter will puff up a lot during the baking process, this is normal and it will fall back down after you take it out of the oven. Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking.

Serving Suggestions

The texture of the fondant chocolate cake can be eaten on its own, but for a little more indulgence, here are the toppings that will be perfect to to go with it :

• Custard
• Vanilla ice cream
• Fresh whipped cream
• Chocolate ganache glaze
• Fresh raspberries or fresh berries
• Strawberry coulis or raspberry compote
• Chopped walnut
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cocoa powder

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Storage and Freeze instructions

Room temperature: Store the chocolate cake at room temperature, covered with cling film for about 2-4 days to keep its melting texture.

Freezing: When the chocolate cake is completely cooled, place it in a freezer storage box for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Let it slowly recover at room temperature or in the fridge.

Successful Tips

1. Room temperature: To have a very homogeneous mixture and in particular for the egg whites which will be much firmer if they are whipped at room temperature.
2. Whip the whites gradually: To obtain this pretty crust on the top and also this light cake as a cloud which I remind you does not contain flour. the egg whites must be whipped progressively with an electric mixer or a stand mixer. Start at slow speed and gradually increase the speed without exceeding the medium speed. By pushing the speed to the maximum, the whites will rise very quickly but they will also fall as quickly when cooked. That's why this step is important to keep the texture thick and melting.
3. Gently fold in: The last important step in making this cake is to gently fold the egg whites into the other ingredients. To do this, you must proceed manually with a spatula. Gently mix from the inside of the bowl to the outside to incorporate without breaking down the texture of the whites.

You will also love

• Strawberry coffee cake
• French soft apple cake
• Almond coffee cake
• Chocolate crêpes cake
• Chocolate Kinder cake
• Chocolate cake with vanilla whipped ganache frosting

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