Flourless Chocolate Cake with Meringue
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A rich, slab of flourless chocolate cake topped with a light meringue — this cake is as impressive as it is delicious.
A fudgy slab of flourless chocolate cake topped with a marshmallowy Swiss meringue—this Passover-friendly, gluten-free dessert is as impressive as it is easy to make. The cake portion is a one-bowl, five-ingredient recipe that you mix up with a whisk. While the cake bakes, you whip up a Swiss meringue, a type of meringue made by whisking sugar and egg whites in a bowl over simmering water before whipping them to stiff peaks. Once the base of the cake is baked, you swirl the meringue dramatically over top, then briefly bake the cake until the meringue peaks are lightly golden.
What you’ll need to make flourless chocolate cake with Meringue
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by melting the butter in the microwave.
Immediately add the chopped chocolate.
Stir until completely melted and smooth.
Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
Then add the cocoa powder.
Whisk until smooth and thickened.
Transfer the batter to a buttered 9-inch springform pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until set.
While the cake is baking, make the meringue topping. Combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or any other large heatproof bowl) and whisk to combine. Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with 1/2-inch of simmering water, and whisk until the egg whites are very warm to the touch and the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the pan and attach it to the stand mixer. (Alternatively, a hand mixer can be used.) Fit the mixer with a very clean whisk attachment (or beaters if using a hand mixer).
Whisk on medium speed (or high if using a hand mixer) until the meringue is cooled, glossy and holds medium-firm peaks, about 5 to 6 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you lift the whisk out of the bowl and the meringue holds firm peaks that curl over.
Spoon the meringue over the hot cake, leaving a 1-inch border around the perimeter. Then use a small spoon to create dramatic swirls.
Place the cake back in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned.
Let cool on a rack, then remove the sides of the springform pan and transfer to a serving platter.
Make-ahead note: The chocolate cake base may be made up to 2 days ahead of time, but wait until the day of serving to add the meringue (it is not necessary to heat the cake before adding the meringue topping).
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Flourless Chocolate Cake with Meringue
A rich, slab of flourless chocolate cake topped with a light meringue — this cake is as impressive as it is delicious.
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted (see note)
For Meringue Topping
- 4 large egg whites
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup sugar
Instructions
- Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave until foamy (watch carefully so that it doesn't boil and splatter). Add the chopped chocolate and stir until completely melted and smooth. (If necessary, pop the bowl back into the microwave for 20 seconds to melt any remaining bits of chocolate.) Add the sugar and whisk until well combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the cocoa powder, using a folding motion at first so it doesn't fly out of the bowl. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake is set.
- While the cake bakes, make the meringue topping. Bring ½-inch of water to a boil in a small sauce pan, then lower the heat so that the water just simmers. Combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (or any large heatproof bowl). Set the bowl over the pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk gently for about 3 minutes, until the egg whites are hot to the touch and the sugar is dissolved. Remove the bowl from the pan and attach it to the stand mixer. (Alternatively, a hand mixer can be used.) Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment (or beaters if using a hand mixer) and whisk on medium speed (or high if using a hand mixer) until the meringue is cooled, glossy and stiff, 5 to 6 minutes. You'll know it's ready when you lift the whisk out of the bowl and the meringue holds a firm peak that curls over. Set aside until the cake is done.
- When the cake comes out of the oven, give the meringue a quick whisk, then pile it onto the the hot cake, leaving a 1-inch border around the perimeter (it may spread a little and you don't want it to touch the sides of the pan). Use a small spoon to swirl it into dramatic peaks.
- Place the cake back into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the meringue peaks are lightly browned. Let the cake cool on a rack for about 15 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges, if necessary, to loosen any meringue that may have stuck to the sides. Carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Transfer the cake to a platter and serve at room temperature. (Removing the base of the springform pan is optional: to do so, simply slide a large spatula underneath the cake and lift it off -- it is pretty sturdy.) To make neat slices through the meringue, wipe the knife clean between slices.
- Note: The chocolate cake base may be made up to 2 days ahead of time. Once cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Wait until a few hours before serving to add the meringue (it is not necessary to heat the cake before adding the meringue, but do let it come to room temperature).
- Note: The easiest way to sift the cocoa powder is to pass it through a fine mesh sieve when adding it to the cake batter.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 343
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Sugar: 41 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 52 mg
- Cholesterol: 108 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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Does this cake need to be stored in the fridge? I was hoping to make it for an auction/bake sale, but it would out at room temperature for about 8-10 hours. Would that ruin the meringue? Thanks!
Hi Anna, It will be fine for a day at room temp. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn!
Would I be able to top the cake with slices of caramelized pears before adding the meringue topping without ruining the whole dessert?
I want to take this dessert for a potluck dinner and plan on adding the meringue topping ahead of time. Once again, I hope this will be ok.
I have always enjoyed and had success with your great recipes Jenn and don’t want this to be the exception as a result of my changes!
Thank you Jenn!
Hi Nila, I love the idea of caramelized pears with this cake but I would probably serve them on the side — otherwise, I worry the cake would get soggy. Hope that helps!
I just wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying your receipts. Each and everyone has been a grand success. Thank you so very much for sharing your bountiful knowledge with us.
I live in Malta (Europe). Do you have a link where I may donate some money for your cause.
That is so kind, Nathalie. I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes. If you’d like to donate, I work with the Children’s Cancer Foundation — there is a link under the coral-colored subscription form in the right column of my site. Or you can connect here:
http://server2.charityadvantageservers.com/client/ChildrensCancerFound_ZB96WZKS5/online_donation_form.aspx
Thank you so much!
Can this be done as a cupcake recipe?
Hi Colette, Yes, that would work — just be sure to reduce the cooking time.
The beautiful cake is made-I piled some fresh sliced strawberries and hid them under the meringue-waiting to slice into it for my son’s birthday get together tonight.
Hands down, this is the best dessert ever! I just made the cake; didn’t have time to do the meringue topping, but it was still wonderful! Thanks! Love your website.
I made this twice during the past Easter weekend- one as instructed and one without the meringue – absolutely delicious and a crowd pleaser! I did cut the sugar content in the cake to 1/3 C since the cocoa powder I used had sugar in it already. Thanks Jenn, for such a wonderful and easy-to-make recipe. –Anita
Yummy and easy. But beating the meringues took much longer than 5 minutes before peaks formed. Eventually it did get there and this cake is really pretty!
Same here; it took much longer than 5 minutes. It was beautiful and delicious and it’s all gone!!
I treat meringue like whipping cream and chill the bowl with beaters for several hours or for an hour in the freezer before making meringue or whipping cream. Also, humidity can play a big factor in how quickly the meringue will set up. The earlier in the morning you tackle the meringue, the less likely you are to have a humidity problem that slows the process down. I’ve been baking & cooking for nearly 60 years & had to figure these things out on my own…long before the internet. :))
I made this dessert for our Passover seder last night and it was beyond delicious! I am not a baker so I was a little nervous about the meringue (never made it before) but it was easy peasy. Thanks for making me look like a rock star!
This looks amazing – but is there a note for the room temperature egg whites? I didn’t see it…
Thanks for catching that, Sally. That was a mistake — no note 🙂