A flourless chocolate cake made with Ghirardelli chocolate will having everyone begging for more! A combination of chocolate, cinnamon, coconut and coffee makes this gluten free chocolate cake perfect for Valentine's Day.
My family has made some pretty drastic changes to our diet this year. One of the most significant changes has been to cut wheat out of our diet. We have officially gone “gluten-free.” So when Ghirardelli asked me to make a Valentine's Day treat with their chocolate, I wanted to avoid wheat so I decided to try a flourless chocolate cake.
I've mentioned before that I'm a bit of chocolate snob. Ghirardelli happens to be one of my favorite brands of chocolate. I also really love dark chocolate so I chose to use Ghirardelli's 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate baking chips for the chocolate cake and ganache topping. I love the larger size of the 60% cacao chips for more flavor impact. You don't have to use the dark chocolate, though. Ghirardelling offers variety of flavors to fit your tastes. Feel free to mix it up and make a chocolate cake with your favorite Ghirardelli chocolate!
I'm always a little paranoid that my cake won't come out of the pan so I grease and flour my pans when making a cake. For chocolate cake I use cocoa powder instead of flour so there isn't any white dust on the cake when it pops out of the pan. And since it's Valentine's Day this week, I used a heart shaped cake pan. Just make sure to use no larger than an 8″ pan. I made the cake twice because the first time I baked it in a 9″ pan and it was way too thin.
You'll use a few bowls to make the cake, but it comes together really quickly and easily. Whisk together cocoa powder, cinnamon and coffee in a small bowl. The cinnamon and coffee add a depth of flavor to the cake.
In a small sauce pan, melt together the Ghirardelli chocolate and coconut oil. Feel free to use butter if you prefer. I was trying to make this “healthier” – ha ha! The coconut oil also adds another layer of flavor and compliments the ganache, which I'd made with coconut milk.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and the melted chocolate. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the cocoa powder mixture and whisk until the mixture is thoroughly incorporated. Your batter is ready to bake.
Once the cake is done baking, let it rest for minutes. Then comes the moment of truth – invert the cake out of the pan and on to a cooling rack. Cheer when it comes out clean without breaking! Let the cake cool completely.
When you ready to frost the cake, make the ganache. Ganache sounds fancy, but it's just cream and chocolate mixed together. I made mine with coconut milk and it's delicious! But you can use cream, too. Put a baking sheet under the cake on the cooling rack. Pour the ganache over the cake and let it fall off the sides in to the pan underneath.
Let the cake sit until the ganache has set. I decided to add sprinkles while the ganache was still wet because my kids think everything is better with sprinkles. I served the cake the next day at our weekly dinner with my parents. I just let it sit, covered in a cake carrier, on the counter.
Flourless Chocolate Cake {Gluten Free}
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 3/4 cup Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
For the ganache
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (in the can or carton)
- 3/4 cup Ghirardelli chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Grease an 8" round or heart shaped cake pan with palm shortening. Coat the flour with cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together cocoa powder, cinnamon, and coffee. Set aside.
- Put Ghirardelli chocolate and coconut oil in a small pan. Melt together over low heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Put sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add melted chocolate and whisk to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking to incorporate each one before adding another.
- Whisk in cocoa powder mixture until batter is thoroughly mixed.
- Pour batter in to prepared baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs on it.
- Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes and then invert on to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
- For the ganache:
- In a small pan, heat the coconut milk and chocolate over low heat, stirring to combine as it melts.
- To cover the cake with the ganache:
- Place the cooling rack with the cake on it on a large rimmed baking sheet. Slowly pour the ganache over the cake, coating the top and the sides. Don't worry of the sides aren't completely covered. The ganache will run off the cake onto the pan below. Allow the ganache to set before serving.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 820kcal Calories from fat 516 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 57g | 88% |
| Saturated Fat 42g | 210% |
| Transfat 0g | |
| Cholesterol 120mg | 40% |
| Sodium 59mg | 2% |
| Carbohydrate 87g | 29% |
| Dietary Fiber 8g | 32% |
| Sugars 73g | |
| Protein 10g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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Just love the way that decorated this cake. Very pretty!
Thank you, Barbara! Sprinkles make everything pretty!
One of these days I should try one of these cakes!!
Thank you for stopping by to share your lovely post this week on Friday Features.
Wishing you a great week!
Karren@Oh My Heartsie Girl
This one is so easy!!
Totally irresistible! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Thanks, Karly! Love your party!
Hi there, I hopped over from Share It One More Time. Your cake looks fabulous! Blessings, Cecilia
Thanks for stopping by Cecilia!
Thanks for sharing this. My mom is gluten free and I never know what to make her. It’s always great to find new desserts for her. I’m a new food blogger and found you on a link party. I’ve followed your social sites and hope we can connect on those. Can’t wait to read more of your blog. Becky
What a gorgeous valentines day cake. It looks so delicious.
Julie
Thank you for linking up with #wordlesswednesday
co-host -www.julieinthemaking.com/
Sounds delicious! I will share the recipe with my friends and family who need gluten free recipes!
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This would easily satisfy my sweet tooth. Thank you for coming back to share and link up with us at the #WWDParty. Have a wonderful week.
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this is the most fantastic looking flourless cake I have ever seen! And I have every gluten free and paleo cookbook known to man, lol. ♥♥ Adding to my extensive gluten free dessert board on Pinterest, thanks so much!!
Thank you so much! Honestly, sprinkles make everything prettier! LOL
This looks so yummy! Pinning to my GF Pinterest board.
Enjoy Jenn!
Your kids are right, everything IS better with sprinkles! A question, Could you use brewed coffee instead of instant coffee? If so, what would you change about the recipe?
Hmmm… maybe just add a teaspoon or two of brewed coffee? I wouldn’t want to take out any eggs because they are holding everything together.
I am so excited to try this recipe! I am a clean eater and this can definitely fit my clean eating and still give me the chocolate satisfaction I sometimes need. Thank you so much. It looks delicious!
Thanks, Katheryn! I made two of them and the second one sat around for a few days – and was still good! I was really happy that they will last a while so we don’t have to eat it all at once.
Wow that looks really pretty, I am going to send the link to my sister she’s always after gluten free recipes
Thanks, Mel! I was really pleased with how they turned out!