It's time to revisit this Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake to make this dessert easier and more foolproof. It is not only gluten-free but perfect for Passover. I can't even begin to guess how many of these Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cakes we made at the bakery but I do remember having to glaze and cut 69 at one point for a banquet - 1104 pieces. It seemed like they would never end. For a brief moment, I almost gave up on chocolate.
Remember when the flourless chocolate cakes took everyone by storm? They were everywhere. The problem was most of them were dry, dry, dry and not worth the trouble. Just because something is flourless doesn't make it good! However, this Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake is ultra-smooth and has a deep, intense chocolate taste without being bitter or overwhelming.
Since I have started making these for the restaurant, I realized that one difference when baking will lead to a much easier and better outcome. By placing the pan with the cake in a water bath, there will be no chance the cake will rise above the rim of the pan. The texture will be ultra-smooth and releasing the cake will be a snap.
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While I usually want you to spray just the middle of the parchment, the Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake is the exception and requires spraying the inside bottom of the pan lightly (to help keep the parchment flat), laying parchment over the spray, then spray the parchment and sides really well.
After baking the cake cool it completely while in the water bath. The cake will have pulled away from the sides every so slightly. Run a thin, metal spatula around the edge. Then refrigerate until very cold, preferably overnight. When cold, release the sides once more with the flexble metal spatula. Place a cake board on top of the pan. Turning it upside down so the board is on the bottom, rap it hard on a solid surface several times or until you can feel it falling onto the board. At this point, the Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake freezes very well unglazed and wrapped in foil for several months.
Any number of sauces - caramel, raspberry, and orange, are a few that come to mind, adding another dimension to the cake. The photo above shows the Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake on a bed of Creme Anglaise.
Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake
1 ½ cups sugar (300 grams or 10 ounces)
½ cup cocoa (40 grams or scant 1 ½ ounces)
¾ cup water
1 ½ cups butter cut into pieces (340 grams or 12 ounces or 3 sticks)
6 eggs
12 ounces semisweet chocolate (340 grams)
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Spray the bottom of a 9” round cake pan, line it with parchment and spray the entire pan well including the parchment.
Whisk the sugar and cocoa together in a large saucepan. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Add the butter pieces and heat to melt the butter, stirring often.
In the meantime, place the eggs in a mixing bowl and mix on low. Mix until no egg whites are showing.
When the butter is melted and the mixture is hot, but not boiling, remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Submerge the chocolate completely below the liquid and let sit for a few minutes. Whisk gently to completely incorporate the chocolate. Add to the eggs and mix on low until everything is well combined.
I place my 9" pan in a 10" pan and filled it with ¾ cup hot water. Place the prepared pan in a larger pan to be used as a water bath.
Bake for 85 minutes.It will be very slightly jiggly in the center when done.Cool completely in the water bath. At this point, the cake will have pulled away slightly from the edges of the pan.
Remove the cake from the water bath and go around the edges with a small flexible spatula.
Refrigerate to set completely, preferably overnight.
To release the cake from the pan, go around the edges of the pan again. Place a cardboard circle on top of the pan.Turn the pan upside down.Rap it hard several times on a solid surface. You will feel the cake drop to the board. Remove the pan and paper. At this point, it can be well wrapped in foil and frozen for several months. It is easiest to glaze if frozen.
Chocolate Butter Glaze
1 stick butter (114 grams or 4 ounces)
6 ounces semisweet chocolate (170 grams)
Heat the butter and the chocolate together until the chocolate is mostly melted but do not let it get too hot or the glaze will be dull and reddish in color. Let it sit, off heat, a few minutes and then whisk gently to combine.
Make a glazing tray by placing a cooling rack inside or on top of a rimmed pan such as a half sheet pan. To glaze, remove the Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake from the cardboard and place it on the glazing rack. Pour the glaze onto the center of the cake and gently push it off the sides with an offset spatula making sure it runs down the sides to cover them completely. Rap on the table several times to settle the glaze.
Remove from the rack with two pancake turners and place on a serving tray or a cardboard round and store in the refrigerator.
Yield: 1 - 9” cake. 1450 grams or about 3 ¼ pounds. 16 servings
Note: Because this has no flour, it has a long shelf life in the refrigerator. As long as the cut edges are covered it can stay for 10 to 14 days. This is an ideal foil for one of the dessert sauces. This cake freezes well unglazed. It may be glazed straight from the freezer.
Alternatively, if you don't want to glaze it, sprinkle it with powdered sugar just before servings.
Other naturally gluten-free recipes include:
Gluten Free Turtle Cake with Salted Caramel
Almond Macaroons
Flourless Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
Katie Rosenberg says
Just baked this along with a very mini one with some leftover batter. The mini one was v delicious, albeit a bit sweet for me. I used mostly 51% chocolate, but some 71%.
To make it less sweet would you reco using all darker chocolate OR reducing the sugar? I think using all 71% chocolate maybe with some bittersweet mixed in even and leaving the sugar quantity as-is?
I also added about 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and about 1/4 c espresso as part of the 3/4 c water.
Could I sub booze (Cointreau and bourbon combo maybe) for some of the water? I’d reduce the sugar a bit if I used Cointreau.
For those who are curious, this cake does not rise, so you can fill it right to the top. When cooked, the top is still quite shiny, but it will be done :)
I’ll report back once it’s been cut in to!
Thanks for your thoughts!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Katie - Having not tested any of the changes you asked about, I can't comment on them. 71% chocolate can alter the recipe since it is far more liquid. Use bittersweet chocolate and reduce the sugar by 25%. Those are my guesses but as I said, I haven't tested it so don't hold me to it. Liquid is pretty much liquid so booze should be fine.
Katie Rosenberg says
Thanks! I went back to the recipe to make sure I did it right because it calls for semi-sweet chocolate. The 71% would have a higher protein content compared to that, but be more liquid than bittersweet chocolate. Is the recipe supposed to be made with bittersweet chocolate? If so that would maybe explain why it’s quite sweet (but I know everyone has their preferences, and I’m in to 85-90% dark, so I realize I’m at one end of the bitter-loving spectrum!!!). Thanks so much for your reply! I love to bake and tinker, but I always like to make the recipe close to as it’s written the first time so I get the baker’s intention before I go off-road — ha! Thanks for all your hard work! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes :)
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Katie - The recipe uses semisweet. That is how it has been made for 35 years. I suggested bittersweet because you mentioned 71% I think is too liquid. Bittersweet would cut down on the sweet taste but would also alter the taste. The one thing that will change the taste that I disagree with is the salt. Salt is not good in everything and a teaspoon is a lot. This definitely is not in the original recipe. But to each his own.
Jorge says
This is the most decadent and delicious flourless chocolate "cake" ever! In my house it's been named "Andrea's Chocolate Cake" because I make it every year for her birthday. The one slight variation I've done is doing a 60/40 dark/milk chocolate mix (I buy the Pound Plus chocolate "bar" from Trader Joe's).
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Jorge - Love the "Andrea's Cake". The variation sounds good. I love the pound plus from TJ's. So good and a good price. Truth to tell, I can eat the the whole milk chocolate bar by myself.
Vladimir says
Thank you very much for a fabulous recipe!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Vladimir - What could be better? Easy and tastes great? Thanks.
Judy Imanse says
Helen, thank you for the timely recipe. My granddaughter told me she doesn't care what I make for her birthday, just as long as there is something very chocolaty! This looks like the perfect dessert. I may top it with fresh raspberries! Now I just need a vegetarian entree! Vegetarians are a challenge to cook for! Judy Imanse
Helen S Fletcher says
She will love this for sure. Raspberries a dollop of whipped cream would be the perfect finish. What about a vegetable lasagne for the entree? Most pasta is eggless. Just check the ingredients to make sure. Make a great salad and voila - you can enjoy the get together!
sallybr says
Flourless is one of our favorites - I used to make a recipe from David Rosengarten which was pretty good, but had a very rustic look to it - the surface was kind of crackly and you were supposed to press down on the cake while still warm to increase its "density" even further - it was good but lacked elegance, you know what I mean? Your version is perfect and of course you add all the small details to make it doable in the home kitchen
thank you!
Manisha says
Hi Helen, I made this cake yesterday and it was devoured :) Making some more...infact it is in the oven when I write this :) thanks for this fabulous recipe....
hfletcher says
Your welcome. So happy everyone like it.
Naina Sachdeva says
thank you soooo much for receipe....am going to try as soon as an opportunity arises
hfletcher says
You're very welcome Naina. Thanks for reading.
Jorge Restrepo says
Helen- what brand of cocoa do you recommend ? I've baked 2 other cloudless chocolate cakes and have turned very dry. I'll have to try this one.
Thanks.
hfletcher says
Hi Jorge: It's not the cocoa, it's the recipe. I've used everything from Hershey's regular to very expensive dutched cocoas. At work I use Cocoa Barry's 22% cocoon and I apologize I don't know the name of it. Generally, I use any 22% dutched cocoa. I agree there are some really dry flourless cakes out there. Do try this one, as you can see from the photo it is definitely not dry!
Kim says
Helen, I made this cake for my mother in laws birthday in January and it was very decadent. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
hfletcher says
Thanks Kim. Glad you enjoyed it.
agnes eusebio says
Thank you so much for all the details. I have another similar recipe, but nuts are added, I would love to know you opinion about adding roastted and chopped nut with orange peel to this recipe. Angain thanks so much for all your post. I lately tried your tips on making flat surface cake, it was a great success, I would post there to thanks you, but the comment is closed. Thus I write here to let you know about it. THANK YOU Helen!
hfletcher says
Hi Agnes: Thank you so much for commenting. I think the roasted nuts and orange peel sounds wonderful. I like the combination of chocolate and orange. Be sure to cut the nuts, almonds would be great, very small.
So happy the flat layers work for you.
agnes eusebio says
certainly I will try when there is chance and let you know! Thanks and wish you a nice weekend.
hfletcher says
Thanks Agnes.
Vicki Bensinger says
Helen this sounds amazing. I'm definitely going to make this for Passover this year instead of the cake I was planning to make. What brand of chocolate are you using in this? What topping have you found your customers like best with this? Great recipe, I can't wait to make it. I can taste it just thinking about it.
hfletcher says
Hi Vicki: I use Callebaut semisweet callets. They are available at Kitchen Conservatory. We only glazed them at the bakery. I suggested the powdered sugar for those that might be timid abut glazing. Thanks for your comments - I appreciate them.
Janet Woodward says
Just about licking the screen here...such a wonderful treat. Might have to make one of these ...Thank you.
More gluten free goodies, please...
hfletcher says
Hi Janet: So happy to hear from you again. Hope all is well with you. This won't disappoint!