Homemade Chocolate Torte
This Chocolate Torte is rich, fudgy, and full of deep chocolate flavor. Naturally gluten free with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, it’s everything you want in a flourless chocolate cake. With simple ingredients, big chocolate flavor, and a pretty dusting of powdered sugar, it’s worthy of a special occasion, or any night you want a chocolate dessert that feels unforgettable.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Drumroll, please! Today, we’re making the most unbelievably moist, soft, and fudgy flourless chocolate cake. This chocolate torte is a tried-and-true, gluten-free dessert of the highest order in our household. And in a family that’s no stranger to Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake, that’s high praise!
Most traditional chocolate cakes are made with flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and sometimes leavening. The main difference is that a chocolate torte doesn’t contain any flour, for a denser, heavier-textured dessert. The flavor of this torte is lightly sweet with a rich chocolate flavor, and the top of the cake is finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
While You’ll Love this Chocolate Torte
It’s so elegant that it’s sure to impress, whether you serve it for a fancy gluten free Christmas dessert, for a loved on on a Valentine’s Day date night in, or any time you want something extra-special and extra-chocolaty. Here’s why it’ll be a treat you come back to again and again…
- Simple to make. It’s an ultra-easy recipe that anyone can make in under an hour with only seven ingredients that you probably alread have in your fridge and pantry.
- Flourless and naturally gluten free. Is flourless the same as gluten-free? Not quite. Many people with gluten intolerances will eat gluten-free flour, just not wheat flour. A flourless chocolate cake, or in this case a chocolate torte, is made without flours of any kind (gluten-free or otherwise), which, like other flourless desserts, makes it easy to bake gluten free.
- Serious chocolate flavor. Between the lack of flour and using dark chocolate, it’s rich and intense. Honestly, it’s one of the best chocolate desserts you’ll ever make, period.
Recipe Ingredients
You can count the ingredients you’ll need on less than two hands! Below is an overview of what you’ll need to make this chocolate torte. Remember to visit the recipe card for the full quantities and recipe details.
- Dark Chocolate: Bars of dark chocolate are best for a rich, cocoa flavor. Alternatively, you can use milk chocolate bars or another chocolate of your choice instead.
- Butter. In this case, I use room-temperature unsalted butter
- Sugar: Using both granulated sugar and brown sugar adds depth and richness along with the sweetness.
- Eggs: This recipe calls for 6 whole eggs. The added eggs give the flourless cake structure and bind the ingredients.
- Cocoa Powder: You’ll want to use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Vanilla: Yes, as strange asit may sound, vanilla enhances the flavor of chocolate.
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness of the torte, and adding it yourself gives you full control, versus using salted butter.
How to Make a Flourless Chocolate Cake
I make this chocolate torte in an 8” springform round pan, with parchment paper lining the bottom. The cake comes out with just the right thickness and pops out easily once it’s cooled. You can use a 9” cake pan as well, though the torte will turn out a bit thinner.
While the oven preheats to 375ºF, the flourless cake comes together in a few easy steps:
- Melt Chocolate: Melt together the chocolate and butter, stirring frequently until smooth and melted. Afterward, take the chocolate off the heat and stir in both the white and brown sugar. Since you’ll be adding the eggs next, at this point give the chocolate a few minutes to cool off so that the eggs don’t scramble.
- Add Eggs and Combine: Once the chocolate mixture has cooled a bit, whisk in the eggs one at a time. You should end up with a thick, glossy batter. Next, stir in the cocoa powder, followed by the vanilla and salt.
- Bake: Transfer the mixed batter to your prepared pan. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the edges of the cake are set. You want the center to still have a slight wiggle since it will set up further as the cake cools.
- Cool: Allow the torte to cool inside the pan for 10 minutes or so before releasing it. I like to give the plain chocolate cake a light dusting with powdered sugar for effect with a dusting wand or small sieve. Then, slice and serve!
Tips for Success
Keep these helpful hints and tips in mind when making your chocolate torte:
- For the best results, bake your cake in an 8″ springform pan and line it with parchment paper (these sheets don’t curl up on you) to get the right thickness and remove it from the pan easily.
- If you don’t have a springform pan, use a regular 8” cake pan lined completely with parchment paper instead. You can use the parchment paper to lift the cake from the pan after it’s baked.
- Let the chocolate cool slightly before adding the eggs. As mentioned, this part is important as adding the eggs too soon (or all at once) runs the risk of the eggs cooking and curdling in the hot mixture. Leave the melted chocolate to cool for about 5 minutes beforehand.
- Serve this cake warm, at room temperature, or chilled. You can’t go wrong! Serving this chocolate torte chilled from the fridge gives it a denser texture.
How to Store a Chocolate Torte
- Countertop – Store any leftover chocolate torte airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Fridge – You can also store it in the fridge if you’d prefer so it lasts a couple extra days, and either enjoy leftover slices chilled or let them come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezer – Once the chocolate cake is completely cooled and set, I recommend leaving off the powdered sugar and pre-freezing the whole cake until solid. Afterward, wrap it or store the torte airtight, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake either in the fridge or at room temperature. Once the chocolate cake is defrosted, dust it with powdered sugar and serve!
- Warm it up (optional) – If you’d like to warm up your flourless chocolate cake the next day, pop it into the microwave. A few seconds should do it – be careful to not overheat the torte as it can become rubbery.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re a chocolate lover, this simple chocolate torte has your name all over it. Serve your homemade gluten-free chocolate cake for a special occasion, or enjoy a slice as an afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of coffee or tea.
As an indulgent dessert, we’ll top our chocolate torte with whipped cream or ice cream (or both, let’s be honest). The rich chocolate cake makes a perfect base to pair with all our favorite ice cream flavors, from Reese’s Ice Cream to Mint Chocolate Chip, to Cookies and Cream.
More Gluten-Free Chocolate Desserts
Flourless Chocolate Torte
Ingredients
- two 3.5 oz dark chocolate bars , chopped
- ¾ cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 6 large eggs
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 8” springform pan with parchment paper.
- Combine two 3.5 oz dark chocolate bars, chopped, and ¾ cup unsalted butter in a medium sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until melted. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Once melted, remove from the heat and whisk in 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.
- Once the butter mixture has cooled down, add in 6 large eggs, one at a time, whisking in each before adding the next. The mixture should be thick and glossy. Add ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until well combined.
- Transfer the batter into the bottom of the prepared springform pan and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack. Let the torte cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold the cake. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder and serve immediately.
Notes
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