Flourless Chocolate Cake

Dense and delicious, this simple but elegant cake is easy to customize. It’s naturally gluten free and you can substitute dairy free butter to make it dairy free too. Adding espresso powder, whiskey/liquor, or mint extract will add another layer of flavor. The perfect New Year’s Eve dessert!

Ingredients

12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter or dairy free butter

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper, then spray again. Wrap the bottom with foil to catch any leaks.

Put the chocolate, butter, and salt in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave again in 30 second intervals until completely melted. You can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler.

Beat the eggs and sugar with a standing or handheld mixer until light and increased in volume, about 8 minutes or so. Fold the melted chocolate into the eggs until fully incorporated. Add any flavoring or liquors and fold in completely.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack.

Once cool, remove ring from spring form mold. Invert cake onto plate or platter and carefully peel off parchment paper. Refrigerate for an hour or two or overnight.

Decorate cake with confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, or cocoa nibs. Serve with whipped cream or dairy free whip. Bonus if you serve with boozy whipped cream!