This flourless chocolate torte is rich and intensely chocolaty. It rises like a souffle in the oven then intentionally caves in when cooled leaving a soft mousse-like center and lots of room for a billowy cloud of whipped cream. A flourless chocolate cake topped with whipped cream on a white cake stand.

What is a torte?

“Torte” is the German word for cake. It can be a single-layer cake or multi-layered, chocolaty or otherwise, flourless or spongy, jam-filled or nut-based. This wide definition is due to the fact that “torte” is such a general term in German, Spanish, and Italian (torta). However, the word torte most often refers to a cake with a very dense crumb structure and rich texture, according to Erin McDowell of Food52. A flourless chocolate torte topped with whipped cream on a white cake stand.

Why this recipe is so great:

  • Just 4 ingredients – This flourless chocolate cake is made with just chocolate, butter, eggs, and sugar. It’s delicious as is or topped with whipped cream and more chocolate.
  • Great texture – The texture of this torte is a cross between a brownie and sponge cake. It’s dense like a brownie yet soft like a sponge cake and just melts in your mouth.
  • Perfect taste – This is the ultimate chocolate lover’s dream. The flavor of this cake is bold, dark, and super chocolaty. It’s also not too sweet, which makes it easy to enjoy.

How to make flourless chocolate torte:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)

steps 1-4 of how to make a flourless chocolate cake.

  1. Melt the bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a simmering pot of water until smooth. Stir in the butter until completely melted and combined. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks along with the whole eggs and sugar.
  3. Slowly whisk the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture until nice and smooth. Set aside
  4. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Then gently fold 1/4 of the meringue at a time into the chocolate mixture.
  5. Transfer the batter into a non-greased 8″ springform pan lined with parchment paper on the bottom. Bake at 350F for 35-45 minutes.
  6. Let cool completely on a wire rack. As the cake cools it will collapse and cave in. Do not remove from pan until ready to serve.

A flourless chocolate torte before and after baked.

Expert tips:

  • Melting the chocolate using the double-boiler method – Fill a medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water. Place a heatproof glass or metal bowl on top. Make sure the bowl fits snuggly so no steam can escape and potentially get into the chocolate, causing it to seize. You also want to make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer and stir the chocolate occasionally to help it melt.
  • Beating the egg whites – Beat the egg whites until they can hold a soft peak, meaning the tip of the peak is curled over and not straight up.
  • Folding in the meringue – Stir in 1/4 of the meringue at first to lighten up the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold in the rest of the meringue using an under and over motion, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, while with your other hand you give the bowl a quarter-turn every 2-3 folds.

How to serve:

You can serve this flourless chocolate torte with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder, if you want to keep things simple, or serve it with a huge amount of whipped cream topped with a light dusting of cocoa powder and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings if you’re feeling grand.

How to freeze:

Once completely cooled, keep the cake in the pan and overwrap it with a triple layer of plastic wrap and then another layer of foil. Overwrapping involves wrapping the pan completely, top and bottom. Store in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw overnight at room temperature. A slice of flourless chocolate torte topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

You might also like these other flourless recipes:

Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.

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Flourless Chocolate Torte

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Lily Ernst
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 40 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8-12
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: German
Print Recipe

Description

This flourless chocolate torte is rich and intensely chocolaty. It has a chocolate mousse-like center and topped with a cloud of whipped cream.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 8 oz (225g) best-quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
  • 6 large eggs (4 separated, 2 whole)
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, divided

Whipped Cream

  • 1 1/2 cups (375ml) whipping cream, cold
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder and/or chocolate shavings, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line the bottom of an 8″ springform pan with parchment paper. Do not grease.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a simmering pot of water until smooth. Stir in the butter until completely melted and combined. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 4 egg yolks along with the 2 whole eggs and 1/2 cup sugar.
  4. Slowly whisk the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture until nice and smooth. Set aside.
  5. In another large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Gradually add in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
  6. Very gently fold 1/4 of the meringue at a time into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
  7. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until puffed up and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly. Be careful not to overbake.
  8. Let cool completely on a wire rack. As the cake cools it will collapse and cave in. Do not remove from pan until ready to serve.
  9. Beat the whipping cream powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fill the sunken center of the cake with the whipped cream. Dust with cocoa powder and top with chocolate shavings.
  10. Run a knife along the edge of the cake and carefully remove the sides.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 days.

Recipe from Food52.com (Richard Sax’s Chocolate Cloud Cake).