My aunt is coeliac, so whenever she visits, I make this flourless, gluten free chocolate cake. It’s rich, simple to put together, and everyone enjoys a slice — coeliac or not. It’s especially good topped with a dusting of icing sugar, some chopped nuts, whipped cream or fresh raspberries. Yum!
You could also use this same batter to make a Swiss roll cake, adding the whipped cream and raspberries as a filling before rolling it up.
Flourless, Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 175g / 6oz chocolate (milk or dark)
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 175g / 6oz caster sugar
- Small carton of whipping cream
- Punnet of raspberries (strawberries or blueberries also work well)
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 8-inch cake tin and set aside.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, or the chocolate can turn grainy. Once melted, leave it aside to cool slightly.
- Add the egg yolks and sugar to the cooled chocolate and mix well, until the mixture is pale in colour.
- Fold the chocolate mixture through gently to combine.
- In a separate, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Gently fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain, then fold in the rest of the egg whites.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
- Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing it from the tin to cool fully.
- Serve with a dusting of icing sugar, some whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
Have you got a favourite gluten free chocolate cake recipe of your own? Leave a comment below — we’d love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this cake suitable for coeliacs?
Yes — there’s no flour in this recipe, so it’s naturally gluten free. As always, if you’re baking for someone with coeliac disease, double-check that your chocolate and any other bought ingredients are labelled gluten free, as this can vary by brand.
Can I make this cake dairy-free?
The cake itself doesn’t contain dairy in the sponge, so you can leave out the cream topping or swap in a dairy-free cream alternative if needed. Just check your chocolate is dairy-free too, if that’s a requirement.
Can I use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate?
Yes, either works well. Dark chocolate will give a richer, more intense flavour, while milk chocolate makes for a sweeter, softer-tasting cake.
Why did my cake sink or crack in the middle?
This is completely normal for a flourless chocolate cake — because there’s no flour to hold it up, it will naturally dip slightly as it cools. A dusting of icing sugar and a spoonful of cream cover this beautifully.
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