Flourless Olive Oil Chocolate Cake
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This Flourless Chocolate Cake is an incredible recipe to have up your sleeve and I love to serve it when I have guests coming over as it’s easy to make ahead of time. It suits gluten-free dietary requirements as there is no flour at all and can easily be made with dairy or dairy-free ingredients. The rich intense chocolate flavour spiked with grassy extra virgin olive oil is irresistible and so indulgent when served with flaky sea salt, whipped cream and berries.
There are some cakes / desserts that I like to have in the freezer ready for an occasion. This Flourless Chocolate Cake is one of them. And my favourite occasion for serving this cake is when I fancy a delicious no-fuss treat. That’s because a slice of this indulgent cake taken straight out of the freezer and microwaved for 30 seconds so it’s creamy and velvety then served with cold whipped cream is one of life’s most blissful desserts, plucked straight from heaven.
And this cake is so easy to make and a fantastic crowd pleaser every time. Bake it for guests or bake it for special me-moments, really you can’t go wrong if you just want to enjoy making a simply wonderful chocolate cake.
I’ll share with you:
- the equipment you need (a few mixing bowls and an electric mixer),
- the easiest way to incorporate the ingredients (yup – we’re discussing folding so you keep all that air in),
- the best way to bake it (a water bath – but it’s easy to do, don’t worry).
And there’s a recipe video and lots of step-by-step photos so you’ll make it flawlessly first time.
Why You’ll Love This Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Rich intense chocolate paired with the grassiness of the extra virgin olive oil and a scattering of flaky sea salt, it marries a wonderful trio of flavour.
- Fudgy texture if you’re enjoying it at room temperature, creamy moussey texture if you’re serving it warm. Both ways are incredible!
- Ideal to make ahead.
- Only a small slice is needed so serves quite a lot of people.
- No flour needed so suitable for gluten-free diets.
- You can make it with dairy or dairy-free ingredients.
- Perfect for freezing and quick to thaw so you can always have this cake to hand.
Watch the Video
Sometimes it helps to see a visual of what I'm talking about. So watch the video to see what it looks like to make your Flourless Olive Oil Chocolate Cake.
Ingredients Needed
Dark chocolate. This recipe uses 70% dark chocolate. If you are making this recipe dairy-free then make sure the chocolate you use is dairy-free.
Caster sugar. A fine white sugar which gives lightness. You can substitute for granulated white sugar.
Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.
Cream. If you are happy using dairy then the best cream to use is double cream (which you can substitute for heavy cream). Or if you are making it with dairy-free ingredients then use a plant-based whipping cream - I tested the recipe with Coconut Collaborative's Plant Based Double Cre&m.
Cocoa powder. Choose a high quality organic brand if possible. This recipe was tested with Dutch-processed cocoa powder (which is the more common type in the UK – but do check the labels)
Extra virgin olive oil. This oil is included just for taste rather than the fat content so extra virgin is essential and choose an oil with a flavour that you love.
Vanilla extract. You don’t need to use the best quality vanilla extract here as there's already a lot going on with the flavours and it won't make a difference. A supermarket brand is just fine.
Espresso powder. Brings out the chocolate flavour rather than giving a coffee flavour.
Sea salt. I use Maldon sea salt in this recipe for the best flavour. Salt is added to the chocolate batter and even more flaky salt is scattered over the top when you are serving it.
Making this cake dairy-free
If you want it to be dairy-free, make sure the dark chocolate is made without milk and you use a plant based whipable double cream rather than dairy double cream. My favourite brand is from The Coconut Collaborative.
How To Make a Flourless Chocolate Cake
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Melt Chocolate: Melt dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water (or microwave in short bursts), stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Whip Cream: Whip double cream until soft peaks form.
Whip Egg Whites: Whip egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar and mix until combined.
Beat Egg Yolks and Sugar: In another bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and doubled in volume. Stir in olive oil.
Stir in Warm Cream: Heat double cream to a lukewarm temperature and stir into the egg yolk mixture.
Add Melted Chocolate : Stir the melted chocolate into the egg mixture until smooth.
Fold in Cream & Dry Ingredients: Fold in the whipped double cream then sift in cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Fold until smooth.
Fold in Egg Whites: Gently fold in the whipped egg whites using sweeping motions to keep the mixture airy.
Transfer to Tin: Grease a round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Place it inside a larger round tin (or similar ovenproof pan) with taller or equal-height sides. Pour the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the top. Pour hot water into the larger tin until it reaches the sides of the smaller tin.
Bake: Bake for an hour at 150°C / 130°C fan / gas mark 2 / 300°F until the edges are set with a slight wobble in the centre.
Cool & Serve: Cool completely in the tin. Once set, loosen the edges with a knife. Transfer carefully onto a serving plate and dust with cocoa powder before serving.
Equipment Needed
5 mixing bowls: 2 large and 3 medium. Yes, it uses a lot of bowls which is a bit annoying. You can choose to indulge in a lovely nest of mixing bowls or you can use just two bowls, using one of them to make the recipe and the other to weigh and whip ingredients – washing up after each one.
Electric hand mixer. You will be whipping cream, egg whites and egg yolks. An electric mixer is very useful.
1 small saucepan. You need this for warming up a little cream.
Digital thermometer. You want to warm your cream to lukewarm temperature. I like to use a thermometer for this so I’m not overwarming but really you can do it by feel.
2 baking tins: 20cm (8-inches) and 25cm (10-inches). You are baking your cake in the smaller tin which is then placed in a water bath (the larger tin filled with water). Make sure your smaller tin is leakproof (i.e. not a springform or loose bottomed tin) You can use another high-sided ovenproof pan for the water bath instead of a larger cake tin.
Expert Tips
Room Temperature. The melted chocolate may start to solidify if your ingredients are too cold. Make sure everything is at room temperature. This is why we add the lukewarm cream to provide a welcoming temperature for when we add the chocolate.
Folding the Ingredients: It’s important to retain the air in the batter so gently fold in the whipped ingredients. The folding technique is to run your spoon (metal is best but honestly I use a silicone spatula as it’s easier and that’s fine) around the sides of the bowl and then cut it through the middle of the ingredients. Repeat this movement until everything is evenly combined.
Non-stick Surfaces: Grease and line the 20cm (8-inch) cake tin well, as flourless batters tend to stick.
Low and Slow Baking: By baking the cake at a low temperature over an hour helps to prevent cracking in the cake.
Cooling. Allow the cake to cool in the tin completely so that it pulls away from the sides of the tin before removing from the tin.
FAQs
Can you make it dairy-free / vegan?
This cake needs the eggs to work. However, you can make it very easily with dairy-free ingredients. Make sure the dark chocolate is made without dairy and you use coconut cream (plant-based whipping double cream) rather than dairy cream. My favourite brand of coconut cream is from The Coconut Collaborative.
Yes, this cake is best made in advance. Once baked, allow it to cool completely in the tin then remove carefully and store for up to 2 days in the fridge before serving. You can serve chilled or bring to room temperature.
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Absolutely. You can freeze the cake successfully for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then place it on a lined tray in the freezer for 6-8 hours until firm. Once solid, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil or store it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. To enjoy, unwrap first then thaw in the fridge overnight, dust with cocoa powder before serving.
Serving Suggestions
- You can switch out the dusting of cocoa powder for powdered sugar.
- Serve with whipped cream, fresh berries, or a drizzle of raspberry coulis.
- For an extra indulgence, pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
More Flourless Desserts You’ll Love
You'll adore this easy No-Bake Gluten-Free Lemon Curd Cheesecake Recipe. It is so quick and simple to make (just factor in the chilling time) and doesn’t need any setting agents. The creamy cheesecake filling has just a few ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, double cream, tangy lemon curd and a touch of sugar.
This Gluten-Free Chocolate Torte with Sweet Potato tastes so fudgey and intensely decadent that you won’t believe that it is dairy-free, flourless, refined sugar-free and made with sweet potatoes!
White Chocolate Raspberry Flapjacks are a delicious easy tray-bake. These traditional oat bars have crisp outer edges with a dense chewy middle. The tang of fresh raspberries is a beautiful pairing with the sweet white chocolate.
This Blond Chocolate Mousse is rich and indulgently whipped through with peanut butter. Perfect for lovers of all things peanut butter and butterscotchy. A very fancy chocolate mousse which is definitely destined for special occasions.
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Flourless Olive Oil Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 400 g dark chocolate - 70% cocoa, chopped
- 150 g caster sugar
- 5 eggs - medium, separated
- 180 g double cream - use dairy cream or plant based double cre&m
- 60 g double cream - use dairy cream or plant based double cre&m
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 60 g extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder - to serve
Instructions
- Pre-heat Oven: Pre-heat your oven to 150°C / 130°C fan assisted / gas mark 2 / 300°F.
- Prepare tin: Grease a 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Place the tin in a 25cm (10-inch) round cake tin (if you have one, a round ovenproof pan will do as well. Crucially the sides of the outside tin need to be as tall (or taller) than the 20cm tin.
- Melt Chocolate: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Melt over a saucepan of simmering water (or microwave in short bursts), stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Whip Cream. In a medium sized mixing bowl whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a separate, large clean bowl whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then gradually add in 50g of the sugar until combined.
- Beat Egg Yolks and Sugar: In another separate large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar (100g) and vanilla extract until doubled in volume, pale and creamy. Then stir in the olive oil until just combined.
- Stir in the Warm Cream: Pour the extra 60g of cream in a small saucepan and warm it up to a lukewarm temperature (37°C - 40°C /98–104°F ). Then stir it into the eggs and sugar mixture.
- Stir in the Melted Chocolate and Whipped Cream: Pour the melted chocolate into the eggs and sugar and stir until completely combined. Follow by folding in the whipped cream, again, stirring until combined.
- Add Cocoa Powder, Espresso Powder and Salt: Sift in the cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt and fold into the rest of the ingredients until smooth.
- Fold in the Egg Whites: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, being careful not to deflate the mixture. Use gentle, sweeping motions to maintain the airiness.
- Transfer to the Tin: Pour the batter into the 20cm (8-inch) cake tin, smoothing the top with a spatula. Pour water into the larger 25cm (10-inch) tin so it comes up the sides of the smaller tin, making sure not to spill any into the chocolate batter.
- Bake: Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour, the edges should be set and the centre should have a slight wobble.
- Cool: Remove the smaller tin from the larger tin and place on a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool in the tin completely, the cake will start to pull away from the sides as it cools. Once cool, run a knife around the edge to loosen it. To remove from the tin place baking parchment on a wooden board and carefully insert the cake onto the parchment lined wooden board. Then you can flip back over to a cake board or serving plate. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving.
