We always enjoy the recipes and beautiful photographs found on Erin’s Food Files. And today, we’re all in for a treat, literally, with this easy-to-make, tempting Valentine’s dessert. Yum!
Updated: February, 2023
Erin:
Time management. There was a time, I once said to a coworker, “How is it I never seem to have time, and yet I don’t own a house, have a yard, a child, or even a pet?” Now that I have all of the above (as well as a 40+ hour a week job), I am certainly kept busy! And yet, despite having many more demands on my time, it is important to me continue to do things I love. For me, cooking and baking are things I love to do. The difference between then and now is, I must plan more efficiently. Gone are the days I would bake on a whim, run out for ingredients mid-way through the recipe, choose elaborate multistep recipes (like Erin’s Food Files most popular post: Cheesecake Factory copycat Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake), or intricately decorated cupcakes. Now I judge a recipe based upon if it can be accomplished during my son’s nap, with bonus points if it uses pantry staples. This cake accomplishes both, and yet is still very impressive.
I decided to make this Flourless Chocolate Cake for a Valentine’s post for a couple reasons. One is that chocolate is such a big part of Valentine’s Day. I firmly believe a way to a woman’s heart is definitely with chocolate. This cake is sinfully rich and delicious. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to throw dieting restrictions out the window and indulge. Another reason I decided on this cake is because it’s really quite simple. If you are thinking of doing a meal at home to impress your significant other on this holiday, this is a great cake to choose. You don’t need to do any fussy decorating, a mere dusting of confectioner’s sugar or cocoa powder dresses it up. You can spend more time and effort on the meal if you need to. Also, this cake pairs well with red wine. If you’ve never had a flourless chocolate cake, I’ll say the texture is similar to a fudgy brownie. It’s like eating a baked chocolate truffle! An added bonus to this cake? It’s gluten-free!
Erin, from Erin's Food Files
Sinfully delicious, gluten-free (though not guilt-free!) chocolate cake, perfect for Valentine's Day! Cake recipe adapted from Epicurious. Sweetened Whip Cream recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.
4.80 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Ingredients
- Cake ingredients:
- 4 ounces fine quality bittersweet chocolate not unsweetened
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Optional: confectioners' sugar or additional cocoa powder for dusting
- Sweetened Whipped Cream Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch springform pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
Chop chocolate into small pieces.
In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 20-25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust.
Cool cake in pan on a rack and then remove from pan.
Dust cake with confectioners' sugar or additional cocoa powder and serve with sweetened whipped cream if desired. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)
Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar; continue whipping until the soft peaks return, 2 to 3 minutes.
Use immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 29mgPotassium: 195mgFiber: 3gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 242IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Cake, chocolate, Flourless, Flourless Cake
Tried this recipe?Rate it above to let us know how it was!
(Cake adapted fromEpicurious. Sweetened Whip Cream adapted fromMartha Stewart.)
Thanks, Erin!
To read more about Erin’s latest kitchen discoveries, visit her blog:www.erinsfoodfiles.com.
About the AuthorLiza Graves
As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!
