Flourless Chocolate Cake

I always associated flourless chocolate cake with an indulgent dessert you’d order at a tony restaurant. But it’s really easy to make at home and may just end up being your go to dessert when company is coming.

This sumptuous cake comes courtesy of Gluten-Free Quick & Easy (Avery Trade, 2007) by Carol Fenster, Ph.D. I have interviewed Carol several times for my articles and with numerous gluten-free cookbooks under her belt, she is a definite authority on the matter.

Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake













Gluten-free, packed with heart-healthy almonds and almost impossibly rich. What’s not to love? A chocolate sauce or fresh raspberries would be fitting toppings for this cake. If you like your chocolate with a little kick (I definitely do!) add some cayenne or chili powder.

2 cups whole almonds (measure before grinding)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup canola or grapeseed oil
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch nonstick gray springform pan. Line the bottom with wax paper or parchment paper and grease again; set aside. Grind almonds in a food processor or high powered blender like the Vita-mix to a fine, mealy texture. Add the brown sugar, eggs, oil, cocoa, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, cayenne or chili and process for about 1 minute. Scrape down the side halfway if needed. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes in the pan. Cut around the edge to loosen the cake from pan edges. Release the pan side and remove the paper liner. Slice and serve.

Mini Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake













No springform pan. No problem. You can make the exact same luscious recipe in muffin cups. A good way to control portions. Plus, it cuts down on cooking time. Non-stick silicon muffin cup trays are recommended. You’ll find these to be a little lighter than the cake version.

2 cups whole almonds (measure before grinding)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup canola or grapeseed oil
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease 12 medium sized muffin cups. Grind almonds in a food processor or high powered blender like the Vita-mix to a fine, mealy texture. Add the brown sugar, eggs, oil, cocoa, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, chili or cayenne and process for about 1 minute. Scrape down the side of bowl halfway through if needed. Transfer the batter to the muffin cups and bake 20 minutes or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before unmolding.