Not only is this flourless chocolate cake the fudgy-est, gooey-est cake you’ll ever eat, it’s incredibly easy to make, which means the faster you get to eat it! With the addition of fresh orange zest, the intense chocolatey flavour is balanced and made even more delicious. Let’s bake!
This cake was born out of nothing but a couple of oranges in the fridge and a flawless Epicurious recipe that needed just a couple of tweaks for more flavour, like adding fresh orange zest and vanilla extract. I’d made it a few years ago and a reshoot was in order, along with streamlining the recipe a bit.
The cake comes together very quickly, bakes up with a crisp crust and the inside remains fudgy and so so decadent. The orange shines through and takes it a very very special level! It’s best eaten freshly baked so that contrast between the crust and center is at its highest. And it should be a little warm, with vanilla ice cream of course!
Definitely make this now!!
Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 115 gms dark cooking chocolate (70% to 75%), chopped
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature (115 gms)
- 3/4 cup caster sugar (140 gms)
- Zest of 2 oranges (I like the smooth, bright orange ones here like kinnow or Valencia oranges which are better for zesting)
- 1 and 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
- 3 eggs at room temperature (integral to the recipe, I can't suggest substitutes)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (40 gms)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 C and line an 8 inch springform pan with non-stick baking paper. I find just greasing a pan for this recipe isn't enough, the cake tends to stick, so paper is highly recommended. You can use a regular 8 inch round cake tin too, but springform is easier to slice and remove the cake.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl, in ten second increments, stirring in between each. Do not let the chocolate get too hot, instead stir to melt down any lumps. Alternately, use a double boiler or bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water for this step, then pour the mixture into a mixing bowl.
- Into the melted chocolate and butter, add the sugar and whisk well to combine. A balloon whisk is useful in this recipe. Add in the orange zest and vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking to incorporate. Finally, sift in the cocoa and gently fold the batter using a silicone spatula to combine till smooth and thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 20 to 25 mins or until a toothpick poked in the middle comes out with only a few moist crumbs. The top will have developed a crust. Over-baking will lead to a dry cake. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Best eaten freshly baked, when still slightly warm and with vanilla ice cream! The crust will lose its crispness once the cake is covered, but it's still delicious of course. Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, and in warm weather, transfer straight to the fridge once it's completely cooled. Reheat individual pieces as needed. Happy baking!
Notes
This post contains affiliate links.
Darshana says
Hi Gayatri. Kindly share the butter measurement by weight for ur flourless chocolate orange cake.
the desserted girl says
Sorry about the error, it’s updated now!
Darshana says
Hi Gayatri. Kindly share the butter measurement by weight for u flourless chocolate orange cake.
Nazish says
Hey! Have you recently updated the recipe and removed the addition of orange juice by any chance?
I’ve used your recipe a few years ago, and I came back now looking for it when the craving hit, and I remember juicing the orange after zesting it as well to add to the recipe.
the desserted girl says
Hi! Yes I did update it because I felt the juice didn’t actually add as much flavour as increasing the zest did. I do think this version is much tastier but you can always add just the juice if you prefer it that way 🙂
Lynette says
Delicious! I love the orange flavor with the chocolate. Thank you for the recipe!
the desserted girl says
I’m glad you enjoyed it !