This Gluten-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake (which can be made paleo and keto!) has a silky dairy-free ganache that is a chocolate lover's dream! It's intensely rich, decadent, chocolatey, and is the perfect dessert for any celebration.
If you love yourself some chocolate, this flourless chocolate cake which can be made paleo and low-carb is your dream cake! It's is super-rich, chocolatey, and decadent with a texture that melts in your mouth.
It's like a Keto Chocolate Cake on steroids with the intensity turned as high as it will go, lol!
The cake is naturally gluten-free and made low-carb or Paleo depending on the sugar and oil you choose.
It's then topped with a silky dairy-free ganache simply by subbing the heavy cream for coconut cream - with no coconut taste detected!
Oh, and I almost forgot the best part, it's crazy easy to make!
Sweetener
For the low-carb sweetener, any of them will work! Allulose, Monk Fruit, and Xylitol (or a combination of these) are my top choices in terms of taste.
If you choose to use pure allulose, keep in mind that it's only 70% as sweet as other sweeteners. So if you choose this option, you'll need to add an additional ⅓ cup.
However, erythritol-based sweeteners will work too! The only problem with erythritol is that it needs a little extra help dissolving. So if using erythritol, be sure to use the powdered variety.
For Paleo, you can use coconut palm sugar - it works just as good!
*NOTE- As a gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI SWEETENERS to give you 10% off! Simply use the code "CRAVEABLE" at checkout.
Chocolate chips
I love Lakanto Chocolate Chips because they are low-carb, dairy-free, and soy-free.
However, Enjoy Life (if you shop at Target, they have a delicious off-brand for only $3 a bag!) and Lily's are good choices too.
Whatever you do, just be sure they're high quality! The taste of this cake will largely depend on the chocolate chips so be sure to use some that taste good!
Butter
I always use grass-fed butter because it is anti-inflammatory, has K-2 (which is good for clearing out the arteries!), healthy fats, and tastes so much better than conventional butter. Plus, many people who are sensitive to dairy tend to do fine with grass-fed butter.
However, if you are dairy-free, feel free to replace the butter with non-dairy butter or coconut oil.
If using coconut oil, use refined coconut oil to reduce the coconut taste. I'd imagine ghee would work as well, but I have not tested this cake with ghee.
🔪 Easy instructions
Start by putting 6 eggs in a bowl of warm water to bring them to room temperature.
While this step won't make or break the recipe, cold eggs tend to cool down and solidify the butter making the already thick batter even thicker and hard to stir.
In a large pot, add 1 cup (or 2 sticks) of butter that has been cut into chunks and 8 oz. of chocolate chips.
Depending on the size of your chocolate chips and how you measure, this will be around 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups.
Heat the mixture over low to medium-low heat until melted. Do not melt it too fast or it will ruin the chocolate so be patient.
After everything is nice and melted, remove from heat and add 1 Cup of powdered sweetener.
Then whisk the eggs and add them to the chocolate mixture, a little at a time, along with some cocoa powder, sea salt, and pure vanilla.
Mix until just combined, the mixture will be thick and hard to stir.
Pour the batter into a well-greased 9-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until it's just firm in the center.
Allow to slightly cool, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Ganache
For the dairy-free ganache, place 1 cup of keto chocolate chips, pure vanilla, and some powdered sweetener (if desired) into a large bowl.
Heat ½ cup of coconut cream (or heavy cream if you're not dairy-free} on the stove until it boils, then pour over the chocolate chips and stir.
Cover the bowl and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
Coconut cream
For coconut cream, place a can of full-fat canned coconut milk in the fridge for 24 hours. Then, scoop out the coagulated cream.
I recommend Thai Kitchen, Sprouts, or Native Forest brands. Other brands may not separate as well or leave a funny aftertaste.
These are 3 brands I know will work well for this recipe and leave no aftertaste or coconut flavor.
Remove the lid, and stir until the chocolate chips are creamy and smooth.
If for some reason they didn't melt all the way, microwave the mixture in 15-second increments until melted.
Be sure to stir well between each increment!
Place the Keto Flourless Chocolate Cake on a cake plate or stand, then pour the warm ganache over the cake.
Serve the cake immediately, or place uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the ganache to harden and set up.
Serve with berries and a sprinkle of powdered sweetener. Store covered tightly in the fridge for up to 3 days.
💭 Top tips
- Line the pan with parchment paper. If you skip the parchment paper you will have trouble with the flourless cake sticking. To line with parchment paper: 1) Place the pan on a large sheet of parchment paper. 2) Trace the bottom of the pans with a pencil. 3) Cut the parchment paper using the lines you traced. 4) Grease the pan, place the parchment paper in the pan, then grease the parchment paper. This will ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Do not over bake. If you over bake the flourless chocolate cake, it will be dry instead of fudgy with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The cake is done when the center is barely set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly moist (but not drenched!). Keep in mind that it will continue to cook while cooling and will firm up a bit in the fridge.
- Cut the butter into pieces and melt chocolate over low heat. Don't place 2 whole sticks of butter into the pot to be melted with the chocolate chips or they will take forever to melt! Chocolate is temperamental and needs to be melted over low to medium-low heat or it will ruin. If you don't cut up the butter, you will be tempted to turn up the heat to get the butter to melt, which will ruin the chocolate and cause you to have to start over.
- For Paleo: To make this cake Paleo, use coconut palm sugar and coconut oil instead of butter.
- For Keto: Any low-carb sweetener will work! Allulose, Monk Fruit, and Xylitol (or a combination of these) are my top choices in terms of taste. However, erythritol-based sweeteners will work too! The only problem with erythritol is that it needs a little extra help dissolving. So if using erythritol, be sure to use the powdered variety.
- As a gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI SWEETENERS to give you 10% off! Simply use the code "CRAVABLE" at checkout.
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If you’ve tried this Flourless Chocolate Cake {Paleo & Keto} or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Flourless Chocolate Cake {Paleo & Keto} With Dairy-Free Ganache
Ingredients
Flourless Chocolate Cake:
- Oil Of Choice - for greasing pan
- 8 oz Keto Chocolate Chips - or chocolate chips of choice (roughly 1 to 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips) use code "CRAVEABLE" for 20% off!
- 1 Cup Grass-Fed Butter - or non-dairy butter or coconut oil
- 1 - 1 ¼ cup Cup Keto Powdered Sweetener - see notes below, or coconut palm sugar for paleo (depending on how sweet you prefer you desserts)
- 6 Large Eggs - slightly beaten
- 1 Cup Natural Cocoa Powder
- ¼ tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla
Dairy-Free Ganache:
- 1 Cup Keto Chocolate Chips
- 1 tsp. Pure vanilla
- 1 Tbsp. Keto Powdered Sweetener - optional (while a powdered erythritol-based sweetener will work, it can sometimes be gritty in glazes and frostings. I recommend powdered allulose or a powdered monk fruit/allulose blend because they dissolve beautifully!)
- ½ Cup Coconut Cream - or heavy cream if you're not dairy-free
Instructions
Flourless Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease with oil.
- Place the eggs in a bowl of warm water to bring to room temperature and set aside.
- In a large pot, add the chocolate chips and the butter cut into small cubes. Heat over low to medium-low heat until melted, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sweetener.
- In a medium-sized bowl, lightly whisk the eggs.
- Add the eggs, a little at a time, to the chocolate mixture. Then, stir in the cocoa powder, sea salt, and pure vanilla. Mix until just combined, batter will be thick.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until just firm in the center and toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly moist (not drenched!).
- Allow to slightly cool then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Top with ganache. Serve immediately or place uncovered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to allow ganache to harden and set up. Store covered tightly in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Place the chocolate chips, vanilla, and sweetener (if using) into a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, add the coconut cream or heavy cream and bring to a boil.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and stir. Cover the bowl and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir until the chocolate is creamy and smooth. If for some reason the chocolate didn't melt all the way, heat in 15-second increments in the microwave, being sure to stir well between each increment.
Notes
- For coconut cream, place a can of full-fat canned coconut milk in the fridge for 24 hours. Then, scoop out the coagulated cream. I recommend Thai Kitchen, Native Forest, or Sprouts brand. Some brands may not separate well or leave an after taste. These are 3 brands I've tested and know will work well for this recipe.
- The ganache is fairly thick. If you're planning on using it for something such as a drip over a semi-naked cake, I recommend slightly thinning it with additional cream for beautiful long drips!
- Line the pan with parchment paper. If you skip the parchment paper you will have trouble with the flourless cake sticking. To line with parchment paper: 1) Place the pan on a large sheet of parchment paper. 2) Trace the bottom of the pans with a pencil. 3) Cut the parchment paper using the lines you traced. 4) Grease the pan, place the parchment paper in the pan, then grease the parchment paper. This will ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Do not over bake. If you over bake the flourless chocolate cake, it will be dry instead of fudgy with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The cake is done when the center is barely set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly moist (but not drenched!). Keep in mind that it will continue to cook while cooling and will firm up a bit in the fridge.
- Cut the butter into pieces and melt chocolate over low heat. DO NOT place 2 whole sticks of butter into the pot to be melted with the chocolate chips or they will take forever to melt! Chocolate is temperamental and needs to be melted over low to medium-low heat or it will ruin. If you don't cut up the butter, you will be tempted to turn up the heat to get the butter to melt, which will ruin the chocolate and cause you to have to start over.
- For Paleo: To make this cake Paleo, use coconut palm sugar for the sweetener and coconut oil instead of butter
- For the low-carb sweetener, any sweetener will work! While granulated will work, I prefer the powdered variety for an extra smooth texture. Also, Allulose, Monk Fruit, and Xylitol (or a combination of these) are my top choices because they make a more fudgy texture. However, erythritol-based sweeteners will work too! The only problem with erythritol is that it needs a little extra help dissolving. So if using erythritol, you'll definitely need to use the powdered variety.
- If using pure allulose, it's only 70% as sweet as other sweeteners so you'll need to add an additional ⅓ cup per 1 cup of sweetener.
- If you only have granulated sweetener, simply place the sweetener in a super dry blender and blend until powdered. Then, measure out for the recipe.
- As a gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI SWEETENERS to give you 10% off! Simply use the code "CRAVABLE" at checkout.
- The chocolate chips: I love Lakanto because they are low-carb, dairy-free, and soy-free. However, Enjoy Life (if you shop at Target, they have a delicious off-brand for only $3 a bag!) and Lily's are good choices too. Whatever you do, just be sure they're high quality! The taste of this cake will largely depend on the chocolate chips so be sure to use some that taste good!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out these resources:
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!