Subtly spiced with fall warming spices, and topped with a maple whipped cream, this chocolate spice flourless cake is perfect for the fall and holiday season. Leavened only with egg whites, it’s naturally gluten free.
If you're looking for a dessert that has all the taste and warmth of the fall season, but isn't pumpkin or apple, you'll love this chocolate spice flourless cake.
The cake is almost soufflé like, intentionally caving in the middle to create the perfect home for the maple whipped cream topping, and is subtly spiced with all of the warming spices of fall: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. The maple whipped cream cuts through the intensity of the chocolate and spices, creating perfect balance in every bite. It’s rich and indulgent, but not too heavy.
Perfect for dessert this fall and holiday season!
If you prefer a flourless cake without the spices, try my Chocolate Flourless Cake with Chocolate Cream.
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Ingredients
- chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, semi-sweet
- butter
- eggs
- granulated sugar
- cocoa powder
- vanilla extract
- salt
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- ginger
- cloves
Maple Cream Topping:
- whipping cream
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Butter: I use regular salted butter, but if you use unsalted butter, add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Chocolate: I find the combination of semi-sweet chocolate and the additional cocoa powder creates the right level of chocolate intensity, which complements the spices nicely, but you can also use darker or lighter chocolate based on your preference.
Cocoa powder: I use dutch-processed cocoa powder for this recipe.
Spices: Make sure your spices haven’t lost their freshness. While spices don’t technical expire, over time they lose flavour and potency. Ground spices generally last 2 – 4 years. You can check them by smelling them and making sure they still smell fragrant. If they don’t have much smell, they’re probably past their best.
Whipping cream: In Canada, whipping cream is generally sold with a 33% or 35% milk fat – if elsewhere, try to find a cream with a similar fat content.
Maple syrup: Use pure 100% maple syrup.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8” springform pan and line the bottom with parchment. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate and butter. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, using 20 second intervals, stirring between each. Generally, 40 to 60 seconds total is sufficient.
- Sift the cocoa powder, salt and spices into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla. Stir until mixture is smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs with a ¼ cup of the sugar until pale and foamy.
- Add the chocolate mixture to the egg yolk mixture and gently stir until combined.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until foamy, then gradually add ½ cup of the sugar and beat until firm peaks (the whites are holding their shape, but not too stiff, the tip of the peak curls over itself when the beater is lifted).
- Add a third of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
- Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre doesn’t jiggle.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 1 hour. The cake will sink in the middle as it cools. Carefully release the sides of the pan and slide the cake onto a flat serving plate or cake stand.
- To make the maple cream, add the whipping cream, maple syrup and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until the cream is firm but not stiff.
- Top the cake with the cream; drop the cream onto the sunken part of the cake and gently spread out towards the edges of the cake. Lightly dust with cinnamon.
Top Tips for Perfect Chocolate Spice Flourless Cake
- Soft vs. firm vs. stiff peaks? Soft peaks barley hold their shape, firm peaks hold their shape well, but the tip of the peak will curl when the beater is lifted, whereas stiff peaks will stand straight up when the beater is lifted. Over-whipped egg whites will look dull and grainy and over-whipped cream will look grainy and start to separate.
- Only one bowl for your stand mixer? Beat your egg whites first and then transfer to another bowl. Then you can beat your egg yolks in the same bowl without cleaning between uses. If you beat your egg yoks first you have to clean the bowl; always start with a clean bowl for beating egg whites.
Storage
Serve this cake the same day it's made. You can make it earlier in the day and store at room temperature, but make the cream topping just before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Recipe Card
Chocolate Spice Flourless Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, semi-sweet
- ½ cup butter
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder, dutch-processed
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 eggs, 2 whole, 4 separated
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for dusting the top of the cake
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
Maple Cream Topping
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease an 8” springform pan and line the bottom with parchment.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate and butter. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, using 20 second intervals, stirring between each. Generally, 40 seconds total is sufficient.
- Sift the cocoa powder, salt and spices into the melted chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla. Stir until mixture is smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs with a ¼ cup of the sugar until pale and foamy.
- Add the chocolate mixture to the egg yolk mixture and gently stir until combined.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until foamy, then gradually add ½ cup of the sugar and beat until firm peaks (the whites are holding their shape, but not too stiff, the tip of the peak curls over itself when the beater is lifted).
- Add a third of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and stir until combined.
- Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre doesn’t jiggle.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 1 hour. The cake will sink in the middle as it cools. Carefully release the sides of the pan and slide the cake onto a flat serving plate or cake stand.
- To make the maple cream, add the whipping cream, maple syrup and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until the cream is firm but not stiff.
- Top the cake with the cream; drop the cream onto the sunken part of the cake and gently spread it out towards the edges of the cake. Lightly dust with cinnamon.
- Serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.
Notes
- Soft vs. firm vs. stiff peaks? Soft peaks barley hold their shape, firm peaks hold their shape well, but the tip of the peak will curl when the beater is lifted, whereas stiff peaks will stand straight up when the beater is lifted. Overwhipped egg whites will look dull and grainy and overwhipped cream will look grainy and start to separate.
- Only one bowl for your stand mixer? Beat your egg whites first and then transfer to another bowl. Then you can beat your egg yolks in the same bowl without cleaning between uses. If you beat your egg yoks first you have to clean the bowl; always start with a clean bowl for beating egg whites.
- The cake is best eaten the day it is made. You can make the cake earlier in the day and store at room temperature, but make the cream topping just before serving. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutritional information shown is an estimate only.
See full disclaimer here.
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