King Arthur’s Flourless Chocolate Cake Delivers Over-the-Top Chocolatey Perfection

With a simple whisk-together batter (no mixer needed), this flourless chocolate cake from King Arthur Baking Company offers the promise of ease. It also includes a little optional vanilla and espresso powder in the batter, plus a thick ganache glaze over the top. Would those elements push it over the top? There was only one way to find out.  

Get the recipe: King Arthur Baking Company’s Flourless Chocolate Cake

You’ll start by lining and greasing an 8-inch round cake pan as the oven preheats. Then you’ll melt together chocolate chips (I used bittersweet; the recipe also suggests semisweet) and butter in the microwave. Next, you’ll stir in granulated sugar, salt, and optional espresso powder and vanilla (both of which I added). After that, you’ll stir in eggs until the batter is smooth, and then stir in cocoa powder. The batter goes into the prepared pan and bakes for about 25 minutes.

Once the cake is cooled, you’ll make a simple ganache glaze by heating heavy cream until it’s almost simmering, then pouring it over chocolate chips in a bowl. You’ll stir the mixture, let it rest for 5 minutes, then stir again until smooth. You’ll spread the glaze over the cooled cake.

This cake is a real winner — and for a few reasons. First off, the cake itself (tasted without the glaze) has an incredibly well-rounded, balanced flavor. No doubt, three ingredients are responsible for that: salt, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Next, that glaze — oh, that glaze! It’s the indulgent touch that takes this cake to the next level, offering a creamy finish and even more chocolatey richness (but, because of the cream in it, a softer, truffle-like flavor that contrasts the bittersweet nature of the cake). Finally, the whole thing is incredibly easy, thanks to microwave melting, a whisk-together batter, and a no-fail ganache.

1. Use a whisk. Step four of the recipe instructs you to “add the eggs [to the batter], beating briefly until smooth.” You don’t need to use a mixer to beat them in; a whisk works well.
2. Try a steak knife. Once the cake is baked, you’ll need to loosen it from the edges of the pan by running a thin knife between it and the pan. I found that a non-serrated steak knife was my thinnest option, and it worked like a dream.
3. Chill to quickly set. If you’re eager to try the cake and don’t want to wait for the glaze to set at room temperature, you can pop the cake in the fridge briefly (about 10 minutes) to accelerate the process.
   
   Overall rating: 10/10