Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake.
Sharing a simple Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake for your mid-week chocolate fix. Don’t let the flourless detail scare you away, this chocolate cake is insanely delicious. Made using dark chocolate and olive oil for richness, sweetened simply with only a touch of sugar, made airy with whipped egg whites, and studded with chocolate chunks. Top with honey whipped ricotta for a sweet creamy balance to the rich, fudgy, molten-like cake. Trust me, this is SO GOOD, and extra chocolatey. Bonus? This cake is even gluten-free!
The true gift of Valentine’s Day? Chocolate…all the chocolate. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love some pretty flowers, jewelry, or a restock of my favorite skincare products. But to me, nothing beats a warm chocolate cake. I mean, right? Baking up something sweet for someone you love is a true way to really show them how much you care.
Enter this cake. It’s great for Valentine’s Day (do you celebrate?), but equally great for any other day you’re craving a little chocolate. This is that go-to, super easy, insanely rich, but not too sweet, chocolate cake. It melts in your mouth and is truly “roll your eyes'” back delicious. And the crazy thing? This cake is completely flourless making it naturally gluten-free.
Promise it’s not too good to be true.
The back story…
This cake took me some time to get right, but the extra effort was worth it. The keys to success? Good chocolate, good extra virgin olive oil, a decent amount of eggs, and apparently no flour.
For the chocolate, I usually use an organic chocolate bar from Whole Foods that’s 85% dark chocolate. If you want a sweeter cake, try using a 70% dark chocolate bar.
As for the olive oil, I love using Brightland olive oil, especially when baking. It adds the perfect, subtle fruit flavor and creates a cake that is extra moist. If that’s not easily available, any extra virgin olive oil will work well. Alternately, you can use melted butter in place of the oil, but we love this cake best when baked with olive oil. Shocking, I know, but it works.
To make this flourless chocolate cake…
You need only a few simple, pantry staple ingredients. High-quality chocolate, extra virgin olive oil, eggs, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Just seven ingredients.
You’ll want to melt together the chocolate and olive oil. I normally just do this in the microwave, but you can easily melt over low heat on the stove. I like to melt the chocolate and oil together in a large mixing bowl that will fit the remaining ingredients. The fewer dishes the better.
Once melted, simply whisk in the egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, a pinch of salt, and the vanilla.
Next, take those eggs whites and whip them until stiff peaks form. This step is key to a lighter cake with a slightly crinkly top. It takes no effort at all and creates a truly luscious flourless cake. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
The real secret of this cake is the final ingredient, a handful of semi-sweet or milk chocolate chunks. Stir these into the cake batter, then bake, and in less then thirty minutes your kitchen will have hints of espresso and rich chocolate in the air.
The smell alone is better than any bakery…but the cake itself? Every bite is truly to die for.
That’s not all…there’s whipped ricotta too.
This cake is rich. It’s not light and fluffy like a layer cake, but much more thick and fudgy instead. To balance the richness out, I knew I needed some kind of creamy topping. You can, of course, simply top with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, but why not try something a little more special?
Whipped ricotta…with honey and vanilla too. It’s creamy, lightly sweetened, and heavy on the vanilla…and tastes heavenly. The perfect compliment to this fudgy chocolate cake.
This cake can be served slightly warm or at room temperature. If you’d like to prepare the cake a few days ahead of time, it stores really well. Just be sure to keep it covered and in a cool place. There’s also no need to refrigerate this cake. Making it the perfect make-ahead dessert for everything from Valentine’s Day, to Easter, to Mother’s Day, and any other occasion in between.
Like maybe some mid-week Tuesday night baking? Hey, it’s mid-February, we have plenty of snow falling here in Colorado, and that’s the perfect excuse to bake up this delicious cake.
Looking for other Valentine’s Day inspired desserts? Try these sweet lemon rose shortbread cookies. They’re an oldie, but one of my favorite cookies.
If you make this Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Flourless Chocolate Espresso Olive Oil Cake with Honey Whipped Ricotta.
Don’t let the flourless detail scare you away, this chocolate cake is insanely delicious...it's even gluten free!
Ingredients
- 7 ounces dark chocolate (75% - 85% dark)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate chunks
WHIPPED RICOTTA
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, melt the dark chocolate and olive oil in the microwave until melted and smooth. Let cool 5 minutes. Whisk in the 5 egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, and vanilla until combined.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mix until just combined, fold in the remaining egg whites. Gently stir in the chocolate chunks. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it in an even layer. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the center is no longer jiggly. Remove from the oven and let sit 10 minutes.
4. To make the honey whipped ricotta. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the ricotta, honey, and vanilla. Pulse until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Taste, adding more honey if needed to sweeten. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
5. Serve the cake warm or at room temp, dusted with cocoa powder and dolloped with honey whipped ricotta. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Recipe Notes
Whipped Egg Whites: if you prefer, you can skip whipping the eggs all together and just use 5 whole eggs. Your cake will not have a crinkly top, but will still be delicious.
Olive Oil Substitute: you can use an equal amount of melted butter in place of the olive oil.
Our Favorite Recipes
Lemon Rose Shortbread Cookies.
I have never tried a flourless cake. Looks tasty.
Thank you Charlotte! I hope you try this one! xTieghan
Oh my goodness, *faints* yum, yum, YUM!
On my list! Xx
Woohoo! I hope you love this Kelly! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Will it work without the espresso powder? Thank you!
Hey Grace! Yes, espresso powder will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This can be stored at room temp even with the frosting being ricotta???
Hi Dawn! The can is fine to store at room temp, but the ricotta cream should be kept separately in the fridge. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This sounds so good and I’m 600% pinning this recipe to make this weekend. But you talking about how it took a while to get this recipe right got me thinking–it would be so cool to get some insight into what goes into recipe development! Would you consider a post like that (or talking about it on IG stories or some platform like that)? Or if you’ve already talked about it, I’d love a point in that direction.
Hmm… that is actually a great idea! Thank you Libby! I hope you try this recipe! xTieghan
Did you try making this without the sugar? Maybe subsitituing maple syrup or honey?
Hi Nina, I did not try without the sugar. You try using honey, but you might have an overly moist and dense cake. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe and let me know how the honey goes! Thank you!! xTieghan
For the past 3 years I have been making this recipe, only difference is your has more espresso and vanilla, no chocolate chunks, it is delicious. But otherwise it is the exact same measurements, 7 oz. chocolate, 1/2 cup olive oil, 5 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 cocoa powder, 1 tsp. espresso powder, sugar. Just odd you came up with nearly the same ingredients?
Hey Henry! Wow! That is very random!! Who knows, but I am glad you love this recipe too! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you!! xTieghan
Can I use coconut sugar in this?
I would think coconut sugar will work well. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
I kind of need this cake right now…
Yes!! I agree! I hope you try this Ruth! xTieghan
The recipe looks so amazing!! Could I make it without the espresso? I have 4 picky children who do t even like the smell of coffee.
Thank you,
Linda
Hey Linda! Yes, you can make without the espresso. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
If you don’t have a spring form pan can you use something else?
HI Ivy! You can use a regular cake pan lined with parchment paper! That works well too! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This looks delicious! Do you think cutting the recipe in half would still bake well?
Thank you!
Hey Ana! You would need a much smaller pan, so I would not recommend cutting the recipe in half. It would also be hard to divide up the eggs. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Looks lovely 🙂 I’m wondering if I can use ground coffee instead of espresso powder? Sadly I don’t have that at the moment. Thank you!
Hey Rebecca! I would recommend omitting the espresso and coffee. I don’t think ground coffee will work well. The cake will still be great without it. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This sounds so yummy! I love flourless chocolate cake but add the espresso & whipped ricotta ? is there anyway that I make these in individual sizes? Will ramekins work?
Hey Lindsey! Love this idea! I would divide the batter between 5-6 ramekins. So fun and cute!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Can I use semi sweet chocolate instead? Not a dark chocolate fan. And can you explain the difference in using olive oil instead of butter? I’m a little hesitant.
Thank you and loving your cookbook!
?
Hi Katherine! Yes, of course you can! There is not a huge difference when it comes to the olive oil vs butter, I just wanted to give you all a substitution if you did not have olive oil! I hope you love this! xTieghan
Tieghan, do you think this would work as a birthday cake? One cake + frosting, or cake + frosting + cake + frosting (a layered cake)? I have a wonderful go-to recipe for birthday cakes (the yummiest yoghurt cake ever!), but I really want to find THE chocolate cake for that purpose too. And I wonder if this could be it…
Anyway, I will try this recipe soon. No birthday – only sweet tooth. 😀
Thank you!
Sofia
Hey Sofia! I wouldn’t recommend this as a layered birthday cake. It’s a bit too dense for that. Linking my favorite birthday cake below. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/simple-chocolate-birthday-cake-whipped-chocolate-buttercream-video/
I’m also curious about eliminating the espresso – I don’t tolerate caffeine. (Super hard for a busy working mom). Is there a good substitute or can I just proceed without it?
HI Leslie, yes you can omit the espresso. The cake will still be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
love you and all your recipes!! might want to make an edit to the first step of melting the chocolate and olive oil at the beginning to specify just melt the dark chocolate – i melted It all at the beginning and didn’t realize that was wrong until getting to the later step of “mixing in the chocolate chunks” out of dark chocolate now to start over so crossing my fingers it still turns out!
Hi! I hope this still turns out amazing for you! I am sure it will! The recipe is updated! xTieghan
The whipped ricotta can be stored at room temperature?
Hi Blair! The ricotta should be stored in the fridge. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Made this just now for Valentine’s Day and it was INSANELY GOOD. The whipped sweet ricotta… omgggggggg thanks for another delicious and uncomplicated dessert recipe!
Thank you so much Nicole! So glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this today and it turned out great! I left out the espresso powder and I actually didn’t realize you were supposed to add chunks of chocolate too but it was super yummy and didn’t seem to be lacking anything! Topped it with Trader Joe’s coconut whip cream since we are daily free. Thanks for the recipe and Happy Valentine’s. ❤️
Happy Valentine’s Day to you! I am so glad you enjoyed this Tammy! Thank you! xTieghan
I made this last night for Valentines Day and it was delicious! My batter got very thick after adding the dry ingredients. I’m guessing the directions said to let the chocolate/olive oil cool for 5 minutes so the eggs wouldn’t cook but I would probably just leave it for a minute or two when I make it again. It still turned out yummy but it was a little more difficult to get in the pan nicely!
Thank you so much Kelley! I am so glad this cake turned out wonderfully for you! I hope you had an amazing Valentine’s Day! xTieghan
Made this cake as a dessert for our Valentine’s Day dinner. It turned out delicious! When folding in the egg whites I incorporated to what I thought was “just combined” (could still see some egg white swirls) vs. more completely (completely combined like I later saw in an IG video) so my final cake didn’t look exactly as pictured BUT it still tasted great!! We also really liked the whipped ricotta! We’ll be making his again for sure!
Hi Allyson! I am glad this still tasted amazing for you! Thank you! xTieghan
The flavour was really good but I didn’t get a good rise on the cake (it was only about 1” tall) and it felt a bit greasy. I whipped my egg whites until they had stiff peaks but maybe just folded them in too aggressively and lost all the air? I was having trouble getting the egg whites to combine well with the chocolate mixture so had to stir quite a bit.
Hey Ashley, this cake is not meant to rise and is meant to be more dense and fudgy. But the cake should not be greasy. Next time, try folding the whites in with a little less force. Air on the side of not mixing enough versus over mixing. I think this will help!
Please let me know if you have any other questions. Sorry you had some trouble! xTieghan
Delish! I made this last night with butter. The ricotta on top was so light and such a perfect pairing to cut through the richness of the cake. Loved it!
Amazing! Thank you for trying this Cassy! xTieghan
I made this and it was amazing! It’s almost more of a brownie, but better because there is a lightness to it. I will definitely add this to the rotation and love that it’s gluten free. It was super easy, which makes it even better. And no butter or flour is amazing- almost like health food 😉 thank you!
Hi Alicia! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
This chocolate cake is ultra delicious — the texture is dense and silky and the flavor is out of this world. I did not separate the eggs. The end result is swoon worthy and oh so elegant. Thank you Tiegan for another stellar recipe. You rock!
Hi Susan! Thank you for trying this cake!! I am so glad it turned out so well for you! YES! xTieghan
I made this for Valentine’s Day. I made it exactly as the recipe reads except for the espresso powder which I didn’t have. It was absolutely delicious. My entire family loved it. Thank you for another wonderful recipe that will become a regular in our home.
Hi Nora! I am really glad you and your family loved this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Definitely a keeper! I made it Friday, with butter, because I was running low on olive oil. I think the butter made it stiffer and harder to incorporate the beaten whites without deflating them. It truly didn’t matter; the cake was still perfect. Simple and fun for a Valentine treat. Next time, I’ll try it with olive oil. It’s hard to go wrong with this recipe.
I am so glad this still turned out so well for you Barbara! Thank you for trying it!! xTieghan
Sooo good and easy! Will be saving this recipe for all the times I need to impress guests or want to make my chocolate loving family extra happy 🙂
Amazing! Thank you so much Carly! xTieghan
made the flourless chocolate cake and it tasted super!!
but it shrunk down considerably and was quite flat.
ah well dont know what caused that but it was very nice!
thank you
inge
Thank you so much for trying this! I am really glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
Can this be made in ramekins for individual servings? What would your guess on bake time be?
Hey Robyn! I bet that will be so cute. Fun I idea! I would divide between 5-6 ramekins and bake 20-30 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Looks delicious! Would coconut oil work in place of olive oil?
Hey Chris! I would think coconut oil will work nicely. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi
I’m looking to make this for dessert but wondered, can I make A day ahead and warm on the day?
Think it sounds more delicious warm?
Thank you
Caroline
Hi Caroline! Yes, that will work very well! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Making this cake tomorrow for a birthday, but I don’t have a working blender or food processor on hand at the moment. Any workarounds for how I could still make the ricotta topping without last minute buying a new blender??
Hi Clare! I would just stir together the ricotta + honey and serve un-whipped. That will still be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
I am a major fan of flourless chocolate cake. In fact we skipped traditional cake for this at our wedding. However this is the first one I’ve ever made myself. I wonder if I overcooked but when took out at 30 minutes it still seemed giggly. Cooked another 5-10. It sunk in places and the outer became harder. Despite all of this it was still delicious. Also only had 2 tbs honey left and wish I had extra to add to ricotta. I’m also in Colorado (foco), so I’m assuming baking instructions work for high altitudes. I don’t have a ton of experience baking here so I’m not familiar. If you can’t tell from all of my recent comments, I LOVE your work! You’ve changed my life! ??
Hi Sabrina! Well thank you for trying this one as your first! Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with, so this turns out better next time! Would love to help! xTieghan
This cake is absolutely amazing! I served it at a dinner party for five people and we ate almost the whole thing. Everybody took seconds which never happens otherwise but it was just too good to not have more of. It is probably the best chocolate cake I have ever made and considering how many chocolate cakes I have made over the years, that says a lot. It was easy to make also which of course makes it even better. I did whip the egg whites separately. It’s the perfect make-ahead cake also. I had to bake it three days prior to the dinner party because I knew I wouldn’t be able to find the time to do it otherwise. Most cakes are not very good when they are three days old but with this one, you couldn’t even tell. I didn’t make the whipped ricotta but instead just whipped some heavy cream which was quite tasty on the cake. Next time I will add some raspberries also. Or make the whipped ricotta. It sounds really interesting. I’m having several women coming over for game night in another week and I am planning on making this cake then again. You just can’t go wrong with this cake. Excellent deep chocolate flavor. Soooooo very tasty. I’m definitely having another piece tonight when I get home from work. It’s weird because I never eat desert otherwise and I especially don’t look forward to having some.
Hi Annika! Wow that is so amazing to hear! I am so glad everyone loved this cake and I hope your friends love it at your game night! Thank you so much for trying this and sharing it! xTieghan
This cake made my whole apartment smell so incredible the smell alone made it worthwhile. The taste and texture of the cake matched the smell, and had everyone (myself included) in heaven. I had to hand whip the eggs so that was a a bit of a chore, and the cracks didn’t turn out as well as I hoped but now a hand mixer is my next kitchen appliance to purchase. Great recipe! Will absolutely be making again.
Hi Abby! I am so glad you all loved this cake and the smell is one of the best parts haha! Thank you for trying this! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, I’m pretty excited to try this recipe. I’ve recently made two other chocolate desserts that called for espresso powder just as a chocolate flavor enhancer – and both times I felt overwhelmed by the espresso flavor….which makes me suspicious that may be the brand I’m using is more potent. So just putting it out there to the world, doing a little investigating, and wondering what brand you use. I have a jar from King Arthur Flour. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
Hi! I use a local brand that I pick up from Whole Foods, but yes, brands will vary. You can reduce the amount to your taste if you are finding it over powdering! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi! Can’t wait to make this!! Can I make this a day ahead of time? Assemble & then put it in the oven?
Thank you!xx
HI! I would recommend baking and just storing the cake at room temp until ready to serve. I am not sure how the cake would bake up when the batter is left to sit overnight. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Made this last night and was impressed with how simple it was! I served it warm with vanilla ice cream, but want to try it with the ricotta next time! Another winner Tieghan, thank you!
Thank you Hayden! That is so awesome to hear! xTieghan
I had this at a friends house and it was delicious! I plan on making it myself and was thinking of adding walnuts? How do you think that would be?
HI! I love the sound of adding walnuts. Yum!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
The flavor was decent, but the texture was odd. It was weirdly crumbly and dense. I know flourless cakes are usually dense, but this just had a weird texture. I actually preferred the flavor/texture of both the cake and the ricotta after it was a couple days old (I guess everything melded together better by then), but who wants to have to make dessert 3 days in advance? Overall, I was a little bummed because it looked delicious in the pictures!
Hi Jennifer! I am sorry to hear that! Is there anything that could have gone wrong while making this? xTieghan
Made it, loved it! Will make it again, will love it again!
Thank you so much Eike! xTieghan
We have tried different flourless chocolate cake recipes and we did not care for this one. We used high quality Guittard dark chocolate and followed the recipe. Sorry I think the olive oil threw off the taste for us.
Hi Vee! I am sorry this did not turn out well for you! Are there any questions I could help you with? If not, I hope you enjoy some other recipes of mine! xTieghan
Made this last night as a dessert for an italian date night and I think it was the best dessert i’ve ever had in my whole life.. this cake is out of this world!
I dusted it with powdered sugar, and served it warm so the chocolate chunks were melted inside I also topped it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream (didnt have ricotta) .. Served it also with a small scoop of trader joe’s cookie butter ice cream on the side and lightly drizzled the whole plate with some dulce de leche sauce. Absolute fire.
Hi Aly! Thank you so much! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! Also, yes to the cookie butter ice cream!! xTieghan
Hi!
This cake looks amazing but I was wondering, is it possible to use liquid espresso instead of a powder? And if not, where could I buy the espresso powder? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Abigail,
I haven’t tested this recipe with liquid espresso, but you could give it a try. I like to get my espresso powder on Amazon, here’s a link! https://www.amazon.com/King-Arthur-Flour-Espresso-Powder/dp/B00DUF219A/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=espresso+powder&qid=1587150393&sr=8-1
I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Great recipe! I didn’t have vanilla and used instant coffee no espresso on hand- still delicious! THANK YOU!!
Thank you Elvira!! I am so glad this cake turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This recipe looks so delicious! I’ll be making for a birthday next week! Is the 7 oz of dark chocolate by weight? Thanks!
Hi Tommy! Yes, or you could base it on how many ounces a bar is. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan but this recipe intrigued me with it’s flourless ingredients. I am SUCH a fan of how this turned out. It’s super decadent and packed with flavor. I think my favorite part of was overloading the whipped ricotta honey on top of each slice. Was a huge win for my household! Definitely recommend!
Yes!! I am so glad you enjoyed this so much, Brian! Thank you! xTieghan
I made this yesterday for a small dinner double date with my brother-in-law and it was a hit! It was the first time I made something flourless and also whipped egg whites to a stiff peak (took a while) but the cake turned out fudge and moist while still light. I ran into a problem taking it out of the springfoam- probably because I used olive oil spray to grease the pan instead of baking spray. I had a few cracks on the top due to a high oven temperature and probably a sudden drop in temperature when i took it out so next time I may take a cheesecake style approach of a water bath or leaving it in the off oven to cool. Overall, everyone LOVED it!
That is so amazing!! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
This cake was insanely delicious! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cannot wait to make it again. Thank you!!
Thank you Marla! xTieghan
We’re not much on Valentine’s Day, but this sure did make a fantastic special dessert for our 10 year anniversary! Your recipes are always so perfect in flavor combinations. Thank you Tieghan!
Aw I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Sharon! Happy Anniversary!! xTieghan
I received notice I’m getting furloughed from my airline so I decided to make this cake to feel better aaaaand I can honestly say it DEFINITELY made me feel better. Thank you for such an easy and equality delicious cake.
I am so glad this could make you feel better!! Thank you for trying this, Lola!! I hope you’re doing well! xTieghan
This recipe was really tasty, except there wasn’t much of an espresso flavor. It was essentially non existent, to be honest, but I think adding a tablespoon and a half or even two tablespoons would give it that full coffee flavor. Was easy to make otherwise and was really delicious.
Amazing! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you, Ally! Thank you for trying this!! xTieghan
I am having trouble getting espresso powder. How do I use instant coffee as substitute?
Hey Daniele! Yes, instant coffee will be just great. I use it often! 🙂 Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
I made this for my wife’s birthday. Everyone loved it, my sister-in-law even saying it was the best homemade chocolate cake she’d ever eaten. Even my three year old chowed down, though I think the ricotta threw him when he was expecting a more sugary frosting.
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Donald!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I was so lucky to have had this cake baked for my birthday. It’s the most decadent chocolate cake I’ve eaten and I can’t wait to bake it for family. Delectable!
Hi Sonia! I am so happy you loved this one!! Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
If I don’t have a round cake pan can I use a 9×11? And how long should I bake it for?
Sorry ignore my other comment. If I have a 10×10 or 9×13 pan can I use one of those and how long should I bake it for?
Hey Julia,
That would be fine to use, I would just keep an eye on the cake and start checking for doneness at 30 minutes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Well this looks fantastic and like I may be able to adapt it for my nefarious purposes… how strong is the coffee flavour from the espresso? I’m in search of a flourless cake recipe that tastes like a good cup of espresso. I think this recipe that uses incredibly dark chocolate could do that, if I stayed at the 85% range and increase the espresso powder. Could I use the same very dark chocolate instead of milk for the chunks, do you think? Could I also add espresso to the ricotta?
Hi Trista! Yes, you can use dark chocolate chunks and I think adding espresso to the ricotta sounds great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Absolutely the Best, tried many others, but this is my families favorite cake.
Love to hear that! Thank you Gabina! xTieghan
Made this as a delicious and delectable dark chocolate espresso dessert! It was a hit! Came out perfect! I know you said to store it room temperature but I stuck it in the fridge and it added to its flavor in my opinion! The ricotta honey vanilla frosting was fantastic too! Thank you!
Thank you so much Brittany! xTieghan
Hey this looks great and I’m about to try it but I’m not sure if the ricotta cream will be good on top.Doesn’t it have a heavy taste on the cake?or the cheese taste goes away with the honey? thanks xx
Hey Deniz,
I love it but you can always just used whipped cream. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I just discovered your website and your recipes look amazing! I would like try this cake for Christmas Eve. Can I use a shot of espresso if I don’t have the powder? Thank you.
Hey Sam,
Yes, that would work well. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I would like to make the cake the day before I am going to serve it. How would you warm it for serving?
Thanks
Hey Nancy,
You could serve this at room temp or pop your slices into the microwave:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
This looks amazing! I don’t have espresso powder but have an espresso machine – could you substitute actual espresso?
Hey Sarah,
Yes, I think that will work well here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
How cld I incorporate raspberry/flavor into this recipe?
Hey Rebecca,
You could add a raspberry sauce at the end to serve with the cake. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this today with excellent results. It is the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day. The only comment I would offer is that the ricotta topping can be done as equally in a bowl with a whisk rather than with a food processor. I hate having to wash a machine and its parts rather than just a bowl and whisk.
Hey Jerry,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Can you use instant coffee instead of expresso powder?
Hey Lisa,
Yes, that is fine to use. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This cake turned out perfectly and with the whipped ricotta, it was heavenly!
Hey Susanna,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Fabulous Valentine treat! The whipped ricotta took it to a whole other level!
Hey Alisa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Hi there! Planning on trying this recipe out this weekend—so excited!! Two quick questions though: 1) if I’m using a spring form pan and greasing it, is it okay to forego the parchment paper? 2) If I’m wanting to make this in advance (earlier in the day) and then just pop it in the oven around dessert time, could I just stick the whole pan in the fridge and then go straight to the oven, or what would be best? (Or would that not work at all?) Thanks in advance for your help!!
Hey Monique,
Sure you can skip the parchment:) Yes, I would keep in the fridge until you are ready to bake. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was the first flourless cake I’ve ever attempted and OH MAN am I glad I did! The texture was light and fudgy and the whipped ricotta added the Feels I didnt even know I needed. Didnt have espresso powder so added instant coffee mixed in with a few drops of hot water … tasted FAB. Will definitely be making this again.
Hey Amal,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Thanks! xTieghan
I made this for some friends and it was such a hit. Everyone adored it.
To make this gluten free:
I use cup4cup flour. Add 1.5 tsp xantham gum and .5 tsp milk powder to the dry mix.
Mine was almost overcooked after baking for 25 minutes, but my oven runs a bit hot. Next time will back for 20 minutes.
Also you can make this a few hours ahead, keep at room temp, then toss in the over to warm up for 5 minutes before serving.
Hey Anna,
I so appreciate you giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hi! Is there any recommended measure changes if you want to do it for one person or you recommend to mate the whole recipe and put into ramekins? Is for one ramekin the same baking time? I would love to try!!
Hey Matias,
I would give one of these recipes a try:
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/single-lady-5-minute-gooey-molten-chocolate-mug-cake/
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/single-girls-wholesome-molten-chocolate-lava-cake/
https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/the-perfect-easy-valentines-day-dinner/
I hope this helps! xTieghan
Loved this! The whipped ricotta is just that something little extra that totally makes it. Keeper!
Hey Sue,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
I need to make this for my birthday cake.
I hope you love the recipe Jan! xTieghan
Outstanding! I used Valhrona chocolate and added marscapone to the ricotta. So delicious, a go to recipe.
Hey Jonna,
I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week! xTieghan
Can I sub in traditional liquid espresso instead of espresso powder?
Hey Alexandra,
Yes, I think that would work just fine for you. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this tonight as a treat. It’s very easy and turned out perfectly. It’s great for a rich chocolate treat. Served it with whipped cream sweetened with the “chai sugar” from the gingerbread recipe. Made a great combo
Thanks Tieghan
Hey Sue,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, it makes me so glad that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan
I used a 72% bar, an 85% bar, and regular cocoa powder. It was wayyyyyyyyy too dark for me. Barely sweet at all and slightly bitter. I like dark chocolate but this was just too much. It burned my stomach and the caffeine kept me up half the night!
If I remade I would definitely use a much lower % dark chocolate and perhaps even increase the sugar.
The whipped ricotta was nice and interesting but not enough of a contrast for me; thick, rich, barely sweet topping on a thick, rich, barely sweet cake. Vanilla ice cream would have been great as another commented, or a sweet tart berry sauce as another commented.
Hey Heather,
So sorry this recipe was not enjoyed, please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan