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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I made this yesterday and it was super easy and delicious. I was worried it was going to taste eggy but it didn’t. I didn’t bother with the meringue – because our dinner meal was on the heavy side- just put some whipped cream on top and raspberries and blueberries. Many compliments on the cake and a request for the recipe. I used about 80-85% of a cup of sugar (slightly more than 3/4 cup but definitely less than one cup in the recipe). I only had 2 oz of semisweet Ghirardelli bar on hand so the remainder was Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips. This is the 10th recipe I have made from your website. Thumbs up for all 10!
This cake is beautiful! Even though it’s easy to make, it looks impressive. It is also delicious and was a big hit, especially amongst dark chocolate fans. (A small piece goes a long way.) My 18-year-old son, who polished off the majority of the cake, commented that the meringue is a perfect, light complement to the rich, dark chocolate. I agree.
I made this for my son’s birthday, since he has chosen to be gluten free. It was easy and delicious. I have been intimidated by meringue and seldom make it, but have had so much success with recipes from Jenn; I knew it would turn out terrific…and it did.
Hi
Could I use a loose bottom pan instead of springform? 9 inch too
Thanks
Hi Joyce, I wasn’t familiar with a loose bottom pan, but looked it up online and I suspect it should work. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
If I make this cake a day or two before baking it with the meringue, should I take it out of the pan and then put it back in or leave it in the pan and then add the meringue — or do something else altogether? (I’ve never done this before!! :-))
You can leave it in the pan, but I think I’d unfasten the spring on the pan just to “unstick” it from the sides and then reseal it until you’re ready to add the meringue. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks, Jenn! I ended up making everything on the same day, but I now see how it works and will be comfortable following your recommendation in the future.
Made this for a friend with celiac disease. It is delicous for everyone. It was a huge hit at my dinner party last night.
I have a guest coming that is gluten free and this looks like a perfect dessert. Was wondering if I could bake this in an 8 inch square pan and serve like a brownie? I probably won’t make the meringue but would go with raspberries and ice cream. Thoughts?
Hi Dawn, Sure, I think that’s doable. I would begin by lining the pan with parchment paper, then either spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter. Be sure to leave an overhang; this will make it easy to lift the cake out of the pan before cutting. Also, you may need to bake it for just a tiny bit longer, due to the size of the pan. Enjoy!
This is my second time making your cake. I love most sweets, but I’m not a big cake fan. Your flourless cake is a different matter entirely. Fudgy, like the best brownie. How do you think it would taste with just homemade whipped cream on top? Thanks!
Hi Barbara, It’s delicious with just whipped cream. Glad you are enjoying the cake!
Hi Jenn,
This looks great! Do you think substituting nondairy margarine would be a mistake? I need to make the cake nondairy.
Hi Joan, I’m not sure this would work with nondairy margarine. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend it. Sorry!
Jen- If I do not make the meringue topping, should I increase the bake time of the cake to make up for the extra time it would have spent in the oven with the meringue?
Thanks.
Hi Elise, no need to bake the cake any longer if you’re not adding the meringue. Hope everyone enjoys!