Nigella’s flourless chocolate cloud cake

A simple flourless chocolate cake with only chocolate, eggs, sugar and butter

I am always on a quest for the ‘best’ flourless chocolate cake … and we have tried many recipes.  I have been wanting to try this one for ages, but every weekend something else seems to take priority in terms of baking.  So, I finally got around to making it, and let me tell you, this is the best flourless chocolate cake I have had so far!  It was light, very chocolate-y and very tasty.  Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s recipe (which included Cointreau and other things), I highly recommend you try it, if you love chocolate cake that is!

And I have also just discovered that it works really well being dairy-free as well.  Just substitute margarine (or non-dairy shortening) for the butter and non-dairy chocolate and it almost tastes the same!  Also, whip up some chilled coconut milk instead of the cream on the top and you’ll be in chocolate heaven!

Print

Nigella's flourless chocolate cloud cake

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 16

Author Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

For the cake

• 250 g dark chocolate dairy-free if needed
• 125 g unsalted butter softened (dairy-free if needed)
• 6 eggs
• 175 g caster sugar

For the cream topping

• 500 mL cream or coconut cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• grated chocolate for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
2. Line the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment.
3. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, then let the butter melt in the warm chocolate.
4. Beat 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75g of the caster sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture.
5. In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the 100g of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape, but not too stiff.
6. Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites.
7. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly.
8. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.
9. Just prior to serving, place the still tin-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the cake from its tin.
10. Whip the cream until it is soft and add the vanilla until the cream is firm but not stiff.
11. Fill the centre crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake and sprinkle grated chocolate on top for decoration.