Name: Flourless chocolate cake
Yield: 1 cake, about 8 servings
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 115 g Unsalted butter; 170 g Dark chocolate About 55–65% cocoa; chopped; 135 g Caster sugar; 4 Large eggs Room temperature; 25 g Cocoa powder Unsweetened natural or Dutch-process; 0.5 g Fine salt Small pinch; As needed Boiling water For separate water pan, not cake

Method

01 · Prepare
5 min
Use: Equipment
Heat oven. Grease tin and line its base. Place a separate shallow ovenproof pan on the lower shelf.
Ready when: Tin prepared for easy release.
01 PrepareHeat oven. Grease tin and line its base. Place a separate shallow ovenproof pan on the lower shelf.
02 · Melt
5 min
Use: Melt
Melt butter and chocolate gently over barely simmering water, stirring. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Ready when: Smooth and warm, not hot.
02 MeltMelt butter and chocolate gently over barely simmering water, stirring. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 · Mix
3 min
Use: Melt, Mix
Whisk in sugar, then eggs. Sift in cocoa and salt and mix smooth. Pour into tin.
Ready when: Glossy, dense batter.
03 MixWhisk in sugar, then eggs. Sift in cocoa and salt and mix smooth. Pour into tin.
04 · Bake
25–30 min
Use: Mix, Steam
Add boiling water to the lower pan and bake the cake on the shelf above.
Ready when: Edges set; centre is just firm with moist crumbs on a skewer.
04 BakeAdd boiling water to the lower pan and bake the cake on the shelf above.
05 · Cool
1–2 hours
Use: Bake
Rest in tin for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a rack and cool fully.
Ready when: Cake firms as it cools.
05 CoolRest in tin for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a rack and cool fully.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Mix	Glossy, dense batter.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Bake	Edges set; centre is just firm with moist crumbs on a skewer.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Cool	Cake firms as it cools.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Greasy batter	Chocolate mixture was overheated.	Stir gently off the heat before adding eggs.	Use gentle heat and avoid scorching chocolate.
Dry cake	Too long in the oven.	Serve with softly whipped cream if desired.	Check early; this cake should retain a moist centre.

Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
Dark chocolate	About 55–65% cocoa; chopped	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Large eggs	Room temperature	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Cocoa powder	Unsweetened natural or Dutch-process	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Fine salt	Small pinch	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Boiling water	For separate water pan, not cake	No required brand	Match the ingredient type

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
Dark chocolate	Another plain dark chocolate170 g	Keep cocoa percentage near 55–65%; avoid filled bars.	Similar set; very high cocoa makes the cake firmer and less sweet.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
20 cm round tin	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Parchment	Use baking parchment with the required heat rating. Foil or a greased bare pan will not give the same release for this recipe.
Heatproof bowl	Use a heat-rated metal or glass mixing bowl; ordinary serving glass is not automatically heatproof.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.
Separate ovenproof water pan	Use a sturdy metal roasting tin suitable for the stated oven heat. Keep the recipe’s separate steam or water-bath setup.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
20 cm round tin	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Parchment	Use baking parchment with the required heat rating. Foil or a greased bare pan will not give the same release for this recipe.
Heatproof bowl	Use a heat-rated metal or glass mixing bowl; ordinary serving glass is not automatically heatproof.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.
Separate ovenproof water pan	Use a sturdy metal roasting tin suitable for the stated oven heat. Keep the recipe’s separate steam or water-bath setup.

Flourless chocolate cake

Flourless chocolate cake