Passover Flourless Chocolate Cake
This cake features both chocolate and cocoa; the combination gives it a rich, dark color, and deep chocolate flavor. A chocolate ganache glaze takes it over the top. And, since it contains neither flour nor leavening, it’s perfect for Passover. Step-by-step photos illustrating how to make this cake are available at Bakers’ Banter, our King Arthur blog.
Cake
1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder, optional
3 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process preferred
Glaze
1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream
Topping
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350°F oven till golden brown, about 10 minutes
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8" round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit, grease it, and lay it in the bottom of the pan.
To make the cake: Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips melt, reheating briefly if necessary. You can also do this over a burner set at very low heat. Transfer the melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.
Add the sugar, salt, and espresso powder. Espresso enhances chocolate’s flavor much as vanilla does; using 1 teaspoon will simply enhance the flavor, while 2 teaspoons will lend a hint of mocha to the cake. Add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 25 minutes; the top will have formed a thin crust. Remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a table knife or nylon spreader, and turn it out onto a serving plate. The top will now be on the bottom; that’s fine. Also, the edges will crumble a bit, which is also fine. Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.
To prepare the glaze: Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the cream is very hot, but not simmering. Remove from the microwave, and stir till the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth.
Spoon the glaze over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.
Yield: one 8" cake, 12 rich servings.
Reviews
02/12/2009
I love this cake and so do my customers. It's really intense and is a favorite of chocolate connoisseurs; I sell hundreds at Valentine's Day (and when I get called upon to donate desserts for charities, this is the one I send--to great acclaim). --Brian Noyes, RedTruckBakery.com
02/27/2009
This cake is rich and wonderful. It's very simple to make but seems like something that one could only get at a fancy bakery.
04/10/2009
I received so many compliments on this utterly decadent chocolate cake!!! Super!!!
04/11/2009
This cake was superb ! Rich, moist, and bittersweet it even froze beautifully. Everyone really loved it !
04/13/2009
Absolutely delicious and a big hit at seder. I made it for both nights. It presents beautifully, and is such a breeze to put together. I used 1 tsp. espresso & 1 stp. vanilla extract in the cake. I also added 1 tsp. Godiva milk chocolate liquor to the ganache topping.Thank you for a great recipe that will be a Passover staple at our house.
04/30/2009
We received this recipe card in our sourdough starter order. My husband made it the same night, despite our misgivings of eating another way-too-eggy flourless cake. We tasted it after it had cooled, and weren't that impressed. We glazed it and put it in the fridge. We tried it again the next night, straight from the fridge, and, WOW! It was incredibly dense, fudgy, and chocolatey. I brought some in for my co-workers and they all want the recipe. Good job on this one, KAF. :)
05/23/2009
I don't like chocolate plus I am diabetic. I made a couple cakes and gave them away, received RAVE reviews. I have not tasted the cake but it does look and smell devine.
07/02/2009
Made this cake for a party. It was the only desert eaten completely...even the few crumbs that fell were gone! It will definitely make your inner chocoholic happy!
07/31/2009
08/12/2009
Tip for Weight Watchers: Reduce the glaze by half, it's still plenty, cut the cake into 20 servings, again, plenty, it's RICH, that equals about 5 points per serving as opposed to 8 points for 1/12 or 12 points for 1/8 of the cake. Eat, enjoy, and MAINTAIN.

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