Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake is the everyday chocolate cake recipe you’ve been dreaming of. Decadent and fudgy similar to a brownie- this deceptively simple cake is a showstopper.
My teenage son and I have been revisiting some of the recipes I used decades ago to build my skills. It's been both fun and challenging to work side-by-side, teaching my teenager cooking techniques like greasing and flouring cake pans, melting chocolate in a double boiler, and determining when a cake is fully baked.
It’s no secret around here that chocolate is the key to my heart. In my quest to curb my cravings, I’ve created some delicious desserts, including the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie, Biscoff Brownies, and the ultimate Chocolate Bundt Cake.
This Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake is perfect for bakers wanting to refine techniques. It resembles fudgy brownies in texture, with a beautifully crackled top. It’s a combination of amaretto notes with deep chocolate flavor. You'll want to keep the recipe handy: easy to prepare, visually striking, and incredibly delicious.
Ingredient Notes
The recipe card at the bottom of the post includes a full list of ingredients with measurements but this quick reference includes helpful tips and substitutions.
Chocolate: I’ve used chocolate chips, baking chocolate, and high-quality dark chocolate bars. For all my chocolate recipes, I recommend using chocolate you would eat by itself, usually 65-80% cacao or so.
Almond Paste: Almond paste is typically sold in the baking aisle and tastes similar to some maraschino cherries or marzipan. Alternatively, you can substitute marzipan or chestnut paste which has a similar taste.
Cocoa Powder: Choose Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a rich chocolate flavor and a dark color for this cake. Natural cocoa powder will work as an alternative.
Large Eggs: The eggs are critical for structure since the recipe doesn't include any flour. Ensure your eggs are at room temperature before incorporating and large sized.
Espresso: Optional but adds a subtle depth that complements the chocolate flavor.
Visual References
I find it easiest to lay the parchment paper in the bottom of the springform pan and trace a circle with my fingernail to make a perfect template. I butter the sides and bottom before laying the paper to ensure it will stay in place. You can make this in a regular 9-inch cake pan.
Beating the eggs and butter until light and fluffy. The eggs and butter should be room temperature.
The “wet” ingredients mixed together including the espresso and melted chocolate. Make sure the melted chocolate is still smooth and liquid, but not too hot, when adding.
The photo above is after adding the cocoa mixture and almond mixture.
This is what “soft peaks” should look like. Peaks that point downwards but still retain their shape apart from the batter when you pull the beaters out.
Finally, the cake batter laid in the prepared pan after whisking in the foamy egg whites. It should have a consistent color and will seem rather thick for a cake batter.
Topping Ideas
Part of the joy of baking a cake is getting creative with the presentation! I usually recommend whipped cream as it is a nice contrasting effect with its light and airy texture.
While the cake is naturally gluten-free, you may have to adjust the toppings to suit your dietary needs.
Topping Ideas:
- A Dusting of Powdered sugar – use a sifter to dust the top.
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla ice cream
- Fresh whipped cream
- Chocolate ganache
- Raspberries, Cherries, or blackberries
- Apricots or Plums
- Sugared fresh berries
- Sliced almonds
Storing Leftovers
Let it cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake in an airtight container for up to three days to maintain the fudgy texture. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container for up to two months. Keep refrigerated while thawing.
FAQs
The cake should dome as it bakes and will level out during cooling. Overbeating can introduce excess air and/or large air bubbles that the cake can’t sustain, resulting in a collapse as it bakes.
I recommend letting the cake cool entirely before serving. This allows it to firm up and makes for cleaner slices. However, individual slices can be served warm.
You can melt the chocolate and soften butter in the microwave, but I prefer using the stove for better control. If using the microwave, heat in 30-second intervals, stirring each time.
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Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake
Equipment
- 9 inch Springform pan or 9 inch cake round
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Cake
- 10 ounces 65-80% Dark Chocolate coarsely chopped, 283 grams
- ¼ cup Sliced Almonds or ¼ cup almond flour
- 5 tablespoon Powdered Sugar also known as Confectioner's Sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 12 tablespoon unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided, ¾ cup +¼ cup
- ⅓ cup Almond Paste
- 6 lg Eggs yolks and whites separated into 2 bowls
- 2 teaspoon Espresso optional *see note below
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Topping Ideas (all are optional)
- 2 cups Whipped Cream
- 3 cups Fruit Cherries, raspberries, blackberries are good
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- ⅓ cup Toasted Almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉ (163℃). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan or a deep square cake pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom. Separate6 lg Eggsyolks from the whites from 6 lg Eggs. Prepare the 2 teaspoon Espresso and allow it to cool. If using, toast ¼ cup Sliced Almonds for 4-5 minutes in the oven at 425.
- In a food processor, pulse 5 tablespoon Powdered Sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, and almonds into a coarse powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat together 12 tablespoon unsalted butter and ¾ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Parcel ⅓ cup Almond Paste into pieces and beat into the mixture until incorporated.
- In a small saucepan or double boiler, melt 10 ounces 65-80% Dark Chocolate over low heat. Stir frequently to avoid scorching. Remove from heat but keep from cooling too completely and resolidifying.
- To the large mixing bowl, beat in the egg yolks, espresso, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, and melted chocolate. Check that the melted chocolate isn't too hot before adding. Then, with a rubber spatula, fold in the almond mixture until smooth.
- In a separate mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to pat the egg whites until foamy. Slowly add ¼ cup granulated sugar and beat until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Soft peaks means that when you pull the beaters out, little peaks that fold over or point downward form and retain their shape without disappearing into the mixture – (see blog post photo for reference).
- Use a rubber spatula to gently fold ⅓ of the egg white mixture into the chocolate cake batter. Then add the remaining ⅔ and fold gently.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake until a fork or toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry, about 50-55 minutes. The cake will dome in the oven and flatten out as it cools. Allow to cool for 1 hour before removing from the pan, using a knife to separate the sides. Allow the cake to cool completely before topping and slicing.
Lily says
Loved it! It was sort of like a Brownie with really good amaretto flavor.