Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake

557 Ratings
  • 5 95
  • 4 138
  • 3 202
  • 2 89
  • 1 33

This stunner is a naturally gluten-free cake that has a smooth, ultra-rich texture. Packed with decadent dark chocolate and espresso, it's like the mocha latte of your dreams in dessert form. And we haven't even gotten to its best selling point: this cake is super easy to pull together, with only eight basic pantry ingredients and three simple steps. 

Martha Stewart Living, September 2013

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

prep:
20 mins
total:
1 hr 30 mins
Servings:
8
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (so cake will slide easily onto serving plate) and line with a parchment round; butter parchment. Melt butter and chocolate, stirring until smooth, in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.

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  • Beat together egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add espresso powder and salt; beat until combined, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and melted-chocolate mixture; beat about 1 minute more.

  • In another bowl, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Increase speed to high; gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold into chocolate mixture in 3 batches. Transfer batter to pan and bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove side of pan; transfer cake to a serving plate. Serve glaze alongside cake.

Cook's Notes

This recipe is excerpted from "Martha Stewart's Cakes" (Clarkson Potter; $25).

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Reviews (10)

557 Ratings
  • 5 95
  • 4 138
  • 3 202
  • 2 89
  • 1 33
Martha Stewart Member
08/28/2019
I do not see how many servings this cake provides. All I do see is that the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar. This is NOT a low-sugar dessert! (Would someone please provide the number of servings so that I can figure out if, as a type 1 diabetic, I can realistically make this cake.) I am SO disappointed in you!
Martha Stewart Member
08/28/2019
First off on Martha's email for this recipe, it stated "low sugar." It's not low sugar - 1 cup of sugar is what the recipe calls for - not low-sugar. Add 1 cup of Swerve and it would cut the carb count greatly. Use Hershey's Dark Chocolate Special powdered cocoa instead of the sweetened chocolate bar. This will also cut the sugar and carbs. I can't save this recipe to my Pinterest account and call it Keto friendly.
Martha Stewart Member
08/19/2018
This recipe is simple with a taste and texture of high quality. My son has a severe gluten allergy and this by far is the best desert I have made him!
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Martha Stewart Member
07/15/2016
Just baked this delicious cake n having it now. Tastes soo.... good. The best flour-less cake ever. In love with it.. yummmmm. ...
Martha Stewart Member
10/12/2014
This comes out beautiful and has a rich dark chocolate taste. I have made this without a spring form, just using parchment lined pans.
Martha Stewart Member
07/09/2014
Surprisingly light for a flourless cake, everyone loved it... this will be a go to recipe for entertaining!
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Martha Stewart Member
05/31/2014
Completely in love with this cake!! Here in Southamerica we have a name for this tipe of cakes: EXQUISITA!!!
Martha Stewart Member
11/03/2013
This is my favorite chocolate cake I've ever made, and I am an avid home cook. Perfectly moist, not too sweet, beautiful texture. I think it works best cooked less time (closer to 40 min). Made for a crowd and we were licking our plates - no one could believe there is no flour. I can't wait to make this again... Can't get over it!
Martha Stewart Member
10/01/2013
I made this dessert for a family Sunday dinner. It was relatively easy to make. I was nervous that I should have pulverized the expresso, but it was fine. I was worried also when the top cracked when I cut it. I made a chocolate glaze and served it with the cake, and everyone loved it. I served small slices because I did not know if it too sweet or too rich. It was not. My two grandsons wanted vanilla ice cream with it and they licked their plates clean. I would make this again.
Martha Stewart Member
09/29/2013
I made this cakes yesterday for company. We all LOVED it!! It is not a sweet cake, but has a wonderful intense chocolate/coffee flavor. The topping finishes the cake and makes it indescribably delicious, although the cakes stands well on it's own! This is definitely a favorite of mine and I do a lot of baking!
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