Description
This naturally gluten-free cake has a stunning crackled top that falls beautifully as it cools, creating a dramatic presentation. The texture is fudgy yet light, intensely chocolatey, and utterly irresistible. This elegant dessert looks like it came from a fancy French bakery but only requires 7 ingredients.
Ingredients
8 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
5 large eggs, separated
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Extra cocoa powder for dusting the pan
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and generously butter your 9-inch springform pan. Dust it thoroughly with cocoa powder, making sure to coat the sides all the way up to the top rim. This step is absolutely crucial for getting that signature fallen effect.
2. Combine the chopped chocolate and butter pieces in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until completely melted and smooth with no clumps remaining. Set aside to cool slightly while you work on the eggs.
3. Separate your eggs, placing the whites in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and the yolks in a separate bowl. Beat the egg whites on medium speed, gradually increasing to high as you slowly stream in the granulated sugar. Continue beating until medium stiff peaks form.
4. Add the egg yolks one at a time to your cooled chocolate mixture, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, salt, and cocoa powder until everything is well combined and smooth.
5. Add large spoonfuls of the whipped egg whites to the chocolate mixture and gently fold them in with a rubber spatula. Continue folding until no streaks of egg white or cocoa powder remain, but be careful not to overmix.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to spread it into an even layer. Bake at 325°F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges start pulling away from the sides. Let it cool completely in the pan before removing the springform ring.
Notes
The quality of chocolate matters here since it’s the star ingredient. Use high-quality semisweet or dark chocolate like Ghirardelli, Lindt, or Guittard.
Room temperature eggs separate more easily, so take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start.
Butter and cocoa the pan all the way up the sides for that perfect fallen effect. This allows the cake to rise up the sides of the pan as it bakes and then fall down as it cools.
Don’t overmix when folding in the egg whites or the cake will be dense. Mix until no streaks remain, but stop there.
Let the chocolate cool slightly before adding egg yolks so they don’t scramble.
The cake is rich and decadent, so a little goes a long way. Serve small slices topped with freshly whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 115mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 85mg