Flourless Chocolate Fudge Cake is scrumptious on its own, but with 3 Icings to choose from, you’ve got the BEST Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe right here!
Great British Bake Off Famous Cake
No, I have never baked on the Great British Bake Off, however when the show created an American spin off called The Great American Baking Show, I applied!
Having baked as well as cooked all my life, I thought this would be a fun, though challenging adventure.
I decided the best way to prepare was to do it British Style, you see I am married to a Brit and we have watched every season and episode, twice!
So I decided to try baking absolutely every challenge presented on the show.
Never in my life have I worked so hard in the kitchen to teach myself classic European baking, and wow was I impressed with what I was turning out.
Whether or not I get selected to cook on the show, I have already had an amazing experience and preparing the famous Paul Hollywood Chocolate Fudge Cake with the ‘missing raspberry,’ was definitely one of them!
Flourless Fudge Peppermint Vodka Cake
This flourless fudge cake recipe, with peppermint vodka icing and crushed candy canes is the ultimate holiday dessert.
An easy 6-ingredient cake with a 3-ingredient icing for a gazillion compliments, sounds like the best dessert to make for the holidays or special occasions!
I promise you this cake is so easy to make, even your tweens will ask to make it for you; just substitute the peppermint vodka for peppermint extract in the icing. Shhhh, make a separate cake with peppermint vodka icing for the adults though!
Adult Chocolate Peppermint Vodka Cocktail
Speaking of peppermint vodka icing for adults; if you love this cake, you are sure to want a fabulous fireside Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cocktail!
A hot chocolate recipe, made the old fashioned way, producing a deep rich fudge flavor, with a splash of peppermint flavored vodka is perfect on a cold winter’s day.
Flour In My Fudge Cake
While not everyone wants flour in their cake, for a variety of reasons, if moistness is what you are after, there are options for a moist chocolate cake with flour.
Flour has a new definition from the all-purpose flour a decade ago, to ground oats, nuts or even seeds.
Flour aids as a binder in baking, to make yummy flavors all stick together and be fluffy.
Eggs, especially when they have been separated, egg whites whipped to fluffy perfection and yolks for lots of fat and flavor.
So whether you put flour in your cake of leave it out, other ingredients play an important role in moisture and texture!
Take for example this Deep Dark Chocolate Chili Cake, that gets its moisture from the natural oils in coffee, and definitely flavor from a chili or two.
Peppermint Chocolate and Fudge – One Of 3 Icings
How did mint and chocolate together, ever become a ‘thing’?
Well, first of all, did you know that mint chocolate chip ice cream is one of the 10 most popular ice cream flavors?
Yep! The darker the chocolate, ie less sweet chocolate and more bitter, makes room for the sweetness to come from other ingredients, such as peppermint candies.
Then, add to that dark earthy fudge flavor, the light bright, refreshing flavor of mint, and you have the perfect marriage of flavors.
Fudge and Fudge Cake
Fudge, fudge, fudge, fudge, fudge! What is fudge anyway, other than lots and lots of chocolate with something to bind it together.
How does fudge differ from cake, you might ask?
A chocolate cake usually uses flour and a rising agent whereas fudge is often thought to be a candy.
Rich fudge recipes rely on butter and cream, or milk without rising agents and bakes to a dense chocolate candy.
A fudge cake is unique, in that it is not a candy, though lots of chocolate goes into it.
This fudge cake is flourless, and relies on lots of fluffy eggs to create that luscious cross between a candy and a cake.
How would you like to ice this flourless fudge cake with a tiramisu icing?
Yep, an easy swap in this icing recipe is to add tiramisu liqueur or coffee liqueur to the icing instead of peppermint vodka.
Just in case you prefer not to eat chocolate, perhaps as a way to eliminate caffeine, there is always Carob, which is equally rich, but without the caffeine.
We’ve got two out of 3 icings as options, so let’s talk about icing number three.
Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
Flourless chocolate cake, at first bite, would make you think you are eating fudge.
However, I’m sure a flourless chocolate cake is way better than fudge. Why?
Fudge is sooooo sweet, and heavily laden with chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate, held together with sweetened condensed milk… more sugar!
This flourless chocolate cake is a beautiful blend of chocolate, both melted chocolate and raw cacao, but it’s held together with EGGS!
Lots and lots of eggs, 5 whole eggs, to be exact! THAT is why this flourless chocolate cake recipe is so darn delicious.
More Reasons To Love Flourless Chocolate Cake
I have another reason why flourless chocolate cake is the cake of choice, wanna know what it is?
With so many folks practicing a gluten-free diet, this is one cake that gluten-free folks won’t have to say ‘no’ to. You’re welcome!
For this reason, I decided to leave one of my flourless chocolate cakes without a butter icing and simply use a dusting of powdered sugar with a stencil to make it look as pretty as it tastes!
More Flourless Cakes To Love
Oh, and while we’re on the subject of flourless cakes, let me (real quick), share another glorious flourless cake with you!
Flourless Almond Orange Cake may not look like a holiday cake but when January health focus returns, this cake is perfect!
This beauty is made with crushed almonds, lots of eggs and several entire oranges, peels and all!
How To Make A Flourless Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe
This recipe calls for lots of eggs, which is what gives it the dense texture, leaving out flour.
Once the butter, cream and chocolate squares have been gently melted together, slightly cooled, it is added to eggs that have been vigorously whipped with sugar.
That’s about it, and then baked to perfection, cooled and topped with one of 3 icings.
Quick And Easy Icings
Usually, I am not a big fan of icing on cakes, too much sugar for my liking, however, this buttery rich icing can be spread thin enough to simply create a smooth finish for other toppings.
Here’s a great butter softening hack that won’t melt the butter:
- In a glass jar, run hot water inside the jar and let it sit a minute to heat the glass.
- Empty the hot water and quick put the wrapped stick of butter inside and put the lid on.
- Leave it for a few minutes, it softens beautifully!
Once the butter and powdered sugar are whipped together, either of the liqueurs are added to flavor the icing.
Unless you are choosing to simply dust the top with powdered sugar, with a lovely stencil design.
While this sounds like a whimsical adult holiday dessert, and it is, I make this cake for MY DECEMBER BIRTHDAY every year!
Ingredients Needed
What I love most about this flourless fudge cake is how a handful of humble ingredients come together to create something deeply luxurious. Each one has a purpose, and none are wasted.
- Butter is the foundation. It brings richness and silkiness, melting into the chocolate to create that signature fudgy texture. Butter also carries flavor, allowing the chocolate to bloom rather than overpower.
- Cream softens and smooths the melted chocolate, adding moisture without heaviness. It gives the cake its almost truffle-like interior, the kind that feels decadent but never dry.
- Chocolate chips or squares are the soul of the cake. Whether you choose chips or chopped bars, this is where the personality comes through, dark and intense or slightly sweeter and mellow. Because there’s no flour to dilute it, the chocolate shines front and center.
- Eggs do the quiet work of structure. They bind everything together and set gently in the oven, giving the cake just enough lift while keeping it dense and custardy at the same time.
- Sugar balances the bitterness of the chocolate and cacao while also contributing to the cake’s tender crumb. It dissolves into the batter, helping the cake stay soft and luscious even after it cools.
- Raw cacao deepens the chocolate flavor with a subtle bitterness and complexity. It adds intensity without sweetness, making each bite taste darker, richer, and more grown-up.
3-Icing Options To Transform This Fudge Cake
Together, these six ingredients create a cake that’s simple by design but anything but ordinary, proof that when quality ingredients are allowed to do their job, less truly is more. However, a twist on this classic flourless cake comes into being when we choose a topping or icing for the cake.
One of the joys of this flourless fudge cake is how easily it transforms with a change of topping. The base stays the same, rich, moist, unapologetically chocolate, but the finish tells a different story every time.
Chocolate Ganache
A classic chocolate ganache topped with fresh raspberries leans into pure elegance. The ganache melts into the surface of the cake, amplifying its fudgy depth, while the raspberries cut through the richness with their bright acidity. It’s a timeless pairing, dramatic, simple, and perfect for a dinner party where dessert is meant to linger.
Peppermint With Chocolate
For a festive Christmas version, a peppermint vodka–infused buttercream brings a playful holiday twist. The cool, clean hint of peppermint lightens the richness of the chocolate, and a scattering of crushed candy canes adds both sparkle and crunch. This version feels celebratory and nostalgic, like unwrapping something special by the tree, familiar flavors with a grown-up edge.
Tiramisu Buttercream
And then there’s the Tiramisu-inspired finish, where coffee liqueur is infused into a silky buttercream. The coffee notes deepen the chocolate rather than compete with it, echoing the flavors of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone. It’s subtle, sophisticated, and perfect for those who love dessert that whispers rather than shouts.
Each topping changes the character of the cake, from elegant to festive to quietly indulgent, proving once again that this simple six-ingredient base is endlessly adaptable, ready to become whatever the occasion calls for.
Equipment Needed
- Saucepan for melting chocolate chips or squares.
- Stovetop or burner
- Hand mixer and a mixing bowl to mix the batter and pour easily into the pan when ready to bake.
- Measuring cup and measuring spoons for accurate balance in the ingredients.
- Springform pan – 3 sizes for easy removal of cakes and tarts.
- Wooden spoon, my preference but I find a batter is easier to work with when using a wooden spoon rather than a metal one.
- Icing knife – to spread
- Oven
Flourless Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe – 3 Icings
Equipment
- 9-inch springform cake pan
- Mixer
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 16 tbsp Unsalted Butter 2 sticks
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 8 oz Chocolate chips or squares 70% cacao
- 5 Eggs
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Raw Cacao powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Peppermint Icing Ingredients
- 8 tbsp Butter room temperature
- 2 cups Powdered sugar
- 1.5 oz Peppermint Vodka or 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup Candy Canes (optional) crushed
- Tiramisu Icing Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Butter room temperature
- 2 cups Powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp Tiramisu Liquor or Coffee Liqueur
- Chocolate and Raspberry Ingredients
- 2 cups Powdered sugar
- 8 tbsp Butter room temperature
- 1/3 cup Cacao
- 2 oz Dark chocolate melted
- 1/4 cup Heavy cream
- 2 cups Raspberries
Instructions
Cake Preparation
- Place the soft butter, cream and chocolate squares in a pan on top the stove over low heat, melt completely. Cool completely.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar and cacao in a large bowl or mixer until light and creamy. Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350. Butter the inside of a 9-inch springform pan. Dust a little cacao around the pan. Pour the batter inside the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake completely before icing.
Peppermint Icing Preparation
- Whip the butter, sugar and vodka together to form a creamy icing. Spread across the cooled cake and sprinkle crushed candy canes or other sprinkles of choice.
- Tiramisu Icing Preparation
- Whip the butter, sugar and liqueur together to form a cream icing.Spread across the cooled cake. Additional chocolate candies can be added (optional).
- Chocolate and Raspberry Preparation
- Whip the butter, sugar, cacao and cream together until well blended.
- Whisk in the melted chocolate.
- Spread the icing over the cake's top and sides. Place the raspberries over the top of the cake.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.