Flourless Chocolate Cake
Published March 27, 2022 • Updated March 7, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
I make this dense, fudgy cake without any type of flour. Just 6 keto-friendly ingredients for a rich, sugar-free chocolate dessert that's naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
I’ve made a lot of chocolate desserts for this site, from low calorie brownies to flourless cookies to keto chocolate mousse. This flourless chocolate cake is the one I come back to when I want something that feels special. It’s dense and rich like a torte, with an intense chocolate flavor that doesn’t need any flour to hold it together.
No almond flour, no coconut flour, no oat flour. The structure comes entirely from eggs, butter, and melted chocolate. I tested this more times than I’d like to admit, and the texture lands right between a brownie and a mousse cake. Fudgy in the center with edges that set up firm enough to slice cleanly. If you love chocolate desserts without the flour drama, I also have a keto sauerkraut chocolate cake that sounds strange but works.
If you’re keto and dealing with nut allergies or gluten sensitivity, this is one of the few desserts that works without any workarounds. It’s naturally gluten-free and nut-free because there’s no flour in it at all. I keep the ingredient list short: sugar-free chocolate chips, butter, eggs, cocoa powder, sweetener, and vanilla. That’s it.
The key to getting the right texture is not overbaking. I pull mine out when the top is just set but the center still has a slight wobble. After 20 minutes at room temperature and 2 hours in the fridge, it firms up into that fudgy, almost truffle-like center that makes people think you spent all day on it. The whole process is one bowl of melted chocolate, one bowl of whipped eggs, fold them together, and bake.
A lot of readers have asked about making this dairy-free. I tested it with refined coconut oil in place of butter, and it works. The texture is slightly denser and the chocolate flavor comes through even stronger without the butter smoothing it out. Use refined coconut oil so you don’t get any coconut taste competing with the chocolate.
I serve this at dinner parties and holidays, and I don’t announce that it’s sugar-free. People eat it, enjoy it, and never ask what makes it different. My husband actually prefers this to the regular version because the chocolate flavor is more concentrated without flour absorbing it. When I tell people there’s no flour in it at all, that’s usually the part that surprises them.
I partnered with Earth Echo for this recipe. Using their Cacao Bliss in place of some of the cocoa powder adds a hint of cinnamon and depth from superfoods like turmeric and Himalayan salt. I like what it does to the flavor, but the cake is just as good with straight cocoa powder if you don’t have it.
Get 15% off your order of Cacao Bliss when you use my code KETOFOCUS.
How to make flourless chocolate cake
What goes into this cake
- Sugar-free chocolate – This is where most of the flavor comes from. I use sugar-free chocolate chips, but 90% dark chocolate or bakers chocolate works too. If you go that route, taste the batter before baking because you’ll probably need more sweetener.
- Butter – Butter gives the cake its moisture and richness. I tried making this without it once. Dry and chalky. Don’t skip it.
- Eggs – The eggs do all the structural work since there’s no flour. They hold everything together. You need all 6.
- Sweeteners – I use two: a granulated sweetener like erythritol or monk fruit blend, plus a brown sugar substitute. The brown sugar adds a slight caramel note that rounds out the chocolate. I’ve also tested this with allulose, and it keeps the texture fudgier because it doesn’t crystallize the way erythritol can when chilled.
- Cocoa powder – Cocoa acts like a flour in this recipe, absorbing moisture from the eggs and melted butter. I use 100% unsweetened for the lowest carb count.
Explore 684+ keto recipe videos with step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make keto easy.
Ingredients
6 oz sugar free chocolate chips -
1 cup unsalted butter
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
-
6 eggs
-
1/2 cup sugar free granulated sweetener
-
1/4 cup brown sugar substitute
-
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-
1 scoop Cacao Bliss, optional
-
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-
9in springform pan
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven & prepare pan
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the edges with cooking spray. Set aside.
Melt chocolate
In a medium microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips, butter and salt. Microwave at 45 second intervals until melted, stirring in between. Once melted, set aside.
- Chocolate chips
- Butter
- Salt
Beat eggs with sweetener
To a large bowl, add 6 eggs, sugar free granulated sweetener and brown sugar sweetener. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.
- Eggs
- Sugar free granulated sweetener
- Brown sugar substitute
Add remaining ingredients
Slowly stir in cocoa powder, Cacao Bliss (if using) and vanilla. Once combined, drizzle in melted chocolate mixture. Mix until combined.
- Cocoa powder
- Cacao Bliss, optional
- Vanilla extract
Pour and bake
Pour cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the cake pan on the counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles. Bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator to cool for 2 hours. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Your Macros. Your Recipes. Calculated in 60 Seconds.
Get personalized keto macros and instantly see which recipes fit your targets. No more guessing what to eat.
Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How many net carbs per slice?
When I make this with the full recipe, I get about 12 slices. Each one comes in around 3 to 4 net carbs depending on the chocolate and sweetener you use. I've tested it with Lily's chips and with ChocZero, and the count varies slightly between them. The cocoa powder and eggs are where most of the carbs come from. It's one of my lowest carb chocolate desserts.
Why is my cake crumbly or dry?
Mine turned out dry the first time I made it because I left it in too long. The trick is to pull it out when the top is just set. If it looks fully baked in the oven, it's already overbaked. I also keep a shallow pan of water on the rack below. The steam helps keep the crumb moist throughout.
Is this cake gluten-free and nut-free?
Yes, both. I don't use any wheat flour, almond flour, hazelnut flour, or coconut flour in this recipe. There's nothing here that contains gluten or tree nuts. I originally developed it because I was getting so many requests for nut-free desserts, and this was the first one I felt really delivered on flavor.
Why does my cake sink in the middle?
I've had this happen when I opened the oven door too early. The cake needs consistent heat for the first 35 to 40 minutes. If you check it before that, the sudden temperature drop can cause the center to collapse. I also make sure my eggs are at room temperature before I start, which helps the batter set more evenly.
How do I know when it's done baking?
I check mine at 45 minutes. The top should look set and matte, not shiny. If you gently shake the pan, the center should have a slight wobble, almost like jello. That's exactly what you want. It firms up completely during the 2-hour cooling process in the fridge. If the center doesn't move at all when you shake the pan, it's overbaked.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I've tested this with refined coconut oil in place of butter using the same amount (1 cup). It works. The texture is slightly denser and the chocolate flavor comes through even stronger without butter smoothing it out. Use refined coconut oil, not virgin, so you don't get any coconut taste competing with the chocolate. Everything else in the recipe stays the same.
Can I use allulose instead of erythritol?
I've made this with allulose and the texture difference is real. Allulose stays smooth and fudgy even after chilling, while erythritol can develop a slightly grainy bite in the fridge. I prefer allulose in this cake for that reason. Use the same amount as the granulated sweetener, but taste the batter before baking since allulose is about 70% as sweet as sugar.
How long does this keep at room temperature?
I leave mine on the counter for up to 3 days when my kitchen stays below 75 degrees. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap as soon as it's cooled. The texture is actually better at room temperature because it stays fudgier and softer than straight from the fridge. After day 3, I move any leftovers to the fridge where it keeps another 3 to 4 days.
Tip for anyone who over-melts their chocolate like I did the first time: pull the bowl out when the chips are still about halfway solid and stir from there. Residual heat finishes it and you skip the grainy texture thing entirely. I also swapped in Lily's 70% dark chips instead of semi-sweet and the bitterness against the cocoa powder is SO much better. Richer, more intense. Already planning to add the Cacao Bliss next batch to see how far I can push it.
My husband never eats dessert, so I just set this out without mentioning it. He came back asking if I'd written down what I did, because the texture was nothing like any keto dessert he'd had.
My 9-year-old found this on the counter before I'd even told anyone what it was, cut himself a slice, ate the whole thing, and came back to ask if we had more. He's not keto and has vetoed basically every dessert I've made since January. When he asked what was in it, I told him chocolate chips and eggs, and he looked at me like I was lying. The texture is different from any keto cake I've made before, that fudgy density that holds together when you cut it. I used Lily's chips and it came out rich enough that I had to stop myself at one slice. Making this again for Easter and not announcing it's keto to anyone.
The 'looked at me like I was lying' is the best part of that story. Don't announce it at Easter either, the cake doesn't need a disclaimer.
Brought this to a dinner party last weekend and it looked like I'd ordered it from a bakery. Two people announced they don't eat 'diet food' before dessert came out. I watched one of them cut a second slice when he thought no one was looking, and when someone noticed the '2.9g net carbs' on the container, the whole table went quiet. This is my go-to whenever I need to bring a dessert somewhere.
That man cutting a second slice when he thought no one was watching is the best review this cake has ever gotten. The table going quiet at 2.9g is exactly what happens.
I kept skipping this one because I figured without any flour it would just fall apart, or taste weirdly eggy. Made it Sunday on kind of a whim and the density of it genuinely stopped me. It's not trying to be cake (it's more like the best fudge you've ever had, baked into a slice). Every other keto chocolate thing I've tried tastes like a consolation prize. This one doesn't.
The fudge thing is exactly why I built it the way I did. None of the flour to dilute it. If you want to go further, flaky salt on top right out of the oven.