Tara Riddle: Flourless espresso chocolate cake with chocolate ganache (recipe)

I normally do not cook gluten free. But when I decided to make a flourless chocolate cake, this recipe did not disappoint. This espresso chocolate cake is rich, moist, and very decadent. I topped mine with fresh raspberries. These raspberries go perfectly to brighten and lighten the rich flavors. The chocolate ganache that gets poured on top is a melty delight. I could eat it by itself with a spoon.

This is a super quick and easy cake to make for any occasion. I lined my cake pan with parchment paper. This is a trick of the trade to avoid any mess with washing dishes later. I have even made this cake with my cast iron skillet and parchment paper.

Ingredients

Cake:

8 inch round cake pan

1 cup chopped baking chocolate (not chips)

½ cup unsalted butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 large eggs (beaten)

½ cup special dark cocoa powder

2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)

Raspberries

Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate

½ cup heavy cream.

First, we will start by melting our chocolate. Take a microwave-safe bowl and put the butter and chocolate together. Start with 30 seconds, then use a fork to stir. If it needs more time only do 10 seconds at a time in the microwave. Chocolate is easily burned and one too many seconds can destroy your chocolate. The trick is continuous stirring until all the chocolate is smooth and melted.

Next, add the sugar, salt, espresso powder and vanilla extract to the chocolate and stir until combined. Add your eggs and stir until smooth. Finally add the cocoa powder. Do not overmix. Stir until just combined. You do not need a mixer for these steps, as that will overmix your batter. The espresso powder is optional. It gives the cake an even richer flavor, but if you do not like coffee then do not use it.

Bake your cake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes. When you pull your cake out of the oven, use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan. If you are using parchment paper, just let the cake cool for 10 minutes or so. We will take this cake and flip it upside down onto your serving dish or plate, so that the bottom is now the top.

While the cake is finishing cooling, we will make our chocolate ganache. Combine your chocolate and cream in a small microwave safe bowl. Start with 30 seconds and check it. Continue your 10 second intervals and stir until the chocolate melts completely and is smooth. Pour this on top of the cake. Take your raspberries and distribute them on top of the chocolate ganache. I used the whole package.

You can serve this with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. A little powdered sugar sprinkled on top adds some color. Enjoy!