Nicola Lamb’s 8-inch flourless chocolate cake is a rich, elegant bake that lets chocolate take center stage. Made without flour, it relies on eggs, butter, and high-quality dark chocolate for its dense yet silky texture, resulting in a cake that’s deeply fudgy with a delicate, almost mousse-like softness. Simple in ingredients but precise in method, it’s an indulgent dessert that feels both luxurious and understated.

Ingredients

Chocolate cake

• 170g dark chocolate
• 110g butter
• 2 tbsp cold water
• ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
• 10g cocoa powder (optional, plus more to dust)
• 180g egg whites (around 5-6 eggs, probably 5 if large)
• 140g caster sugar
• 35g egg yolks (around 2)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 120°C. Line the bottom and sides of a tall 8-inch tin with baking paper. Wrap the outside with foil
• Chocolate butter mixture: Add 170g of dark chocolate and 110g of butter to a large heatproof bowl. Either melt in a microwave on the defrost setting or place the bowl over a pan of boiling water, making sure that the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Once melted, whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold water, ¼ teaspoon of flaky salt and 10g of cocoa powder (if using).
• Meringue: Add 180g of egg whites to a large bowl and whisk on high for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer to medium and slowly add 140g of caster sugar over the next 30 seconds. Whisk for 6-8 minutes until you have a dense, glossy meringue. Note from Nicola: “It should be shiny and thick but not too stiff - when the beaters are lifted, it should gently flop onto itself. All our mixers are different, so keep checking - you want the meringue to be flexible and firm!”
• Chocolate butter mixture: Stir 35g of egg yolks into the chocolate butter mixture. Whisk in 40g of meringue to loosen the mixture. Gently fold in the remaining meringue until combined.
• Transfer the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the top.
• Water bath and bake: Pour an inch or so of boiled water into an ovenproof dish. Carefully lower the tin into the dish. Top up with more water if needed - I stop about an inch below the top of the tin. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the top is dry. The internal temperature should be between 78-84°C. Cracking isn’t an issue as the cake will be flipped over later.
• The cake can be removed from the water bath once it’s cool enough to touch. Either transfer the tin to the fridge to cool completely or place it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Once chilled, remove the tin and paper carefully, turn the cake upside down then dust with cocoa powder. For neat slices, cut with a hot, dry knife (pour boiled water over the knife and dry it, then repeat for each slice).

NOTES

• The cake is best eaten at room temperature. I store it in the fridge then microwave it for 15-20 seconds before eating (Nicola’s recommendation). To be honest, it’s great straight out of the fridge too.

Recipe from HotCooking