Flourless Gooey Chocolate Fudge Cake with Melted Chocolate

If you are a chocolate lover, keep reading, you will want to make this gooey chocolate fudge cake adapted from (Ottolenghi, the cookbook). This chocolate cake recipe is made with melted chocolate and egg whites which makes it super moist and chocolatey. It is baked in 2 stages and filled with dulce de leche! This cake is flourless and gluten free. The only chocolate fudge cake recipe you will ever need!

Materials & Ingredients Notes

To make this cake you will need:

• An 18 cm (7 inches) springform cake mould. Ex. Leakproof Springform Pan
• Parchment paper
• Good quality chocolate. I use Valrhona chocolate: Valrhona Dark Chocolate.
• Dulce de leche: this is optional, as you can avoid it completely and make 100 % chocolate. If you do add the dulce de leche, I like these brands: I like to use those Argentinian brands: La Serenisima - Dulce de Leche (USA), San Ignacio Dulce de Leche (USA, Canada, UK, France), Chimbote Dulce De Leche (Australia).
• Regular pantry ingredients: brown sugar, butter, eggs (medium size).

How to make this recipe: step by step instructions

This is an easy chocolate fudge cake: It is all about the egg whites! You just need to follow these instructions and tips:

• In a big bowl that can resist high heat combine de chocolate and butter cut into small pieces.
• In a small pan bring 125 g of the sugar and the water to a boil stirring frequently. Pour the sugar/water mixture over the chocolate/butter mixture and let it sit for about 3 minutes. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.
• Add the egg yolks one at a time. Set aside the bowl and let it come to room temperature.
• In the meantime, beat the egg whites with the remaining 20 g of the sugar and the pinch of salt until you obtain a firm meringue. You can do this using an electric mixer, a stand mixer or your hands and whisk! A little exercise!
• Add the meringue to the chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Make sure you fold it in gently and with love and care. You can either use a spatula or a whisk if you feel comfortable enough. This is an essential part of the procedure! It is particularly important not to over beat the egg whites, because they become watery. Also, when mixing them in, make sure you fold them in gently, without flattening out the whites.

Recipe notes

• It is particularly important not to over beat the egg whites, because they become watery.
• When mixing them in, make sure you fold them in gently, without flattening out the whites.
• You can either use a spatula or a whisk to fold in the egg whites, whatever feels right to you. I personally like to start with a whisk and then finish off with a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl!

Expert notes: about the egg whites

• Egg whites should be at toom temperature to ensure a good result!
• Beating egg whites should take about 10 minutes from start to finish.
• Place the egg whites and a pinch of the 20 g of sugar in a bowl of the stand mixer. Start at low speed, and gradually increase the speed of your stand mixer as you go along.
• Once they start to foam up the volume of the mixer to medium.
• When you notice the whites have gained nicely in volume and the little bubbles on the side have disappeared, turn the speed to maximum and add the remaining of the 20 g of sugar. Mix for 20 seconds.
• Egg whites should be attached to the whisk forming a nice big peak!

Baking tips

This method of baking in 2 stages allows for a textured cake, with the bottom part being stiffer and the top part more fudgy!

To bake this fudge cake:

• Grease the mould with baking spray or melted butter. Then line the mould with baking paper.
• Fill an 18 cm springform cake with 2/3 of the cake batter and bake at 180 °C for 40 minutes.
• When you insert your cake taster/skewer/brochette stick at the centre of the cake it should come out almost clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool down completely.
• Once it has cooled off, cover with dulce de leche, and top with the remaining 1/3 of the cake batter and evenly distribute it over the dulce de leche.
• Bake for an extra 25 minutes.
• Remove and let it cool down completely before unmoulding.

For the baking times and right textures, you will probably have to adjust to your oven and own taste. Some might prefer this cake on the super moist side, others a little less. So, trust your instinct!

How to unmould this cake?

Because its super fudgy and gooey, it is tricky to unmould. To prevent it from breaking and getting stuck to the pan, you must:

• Remove the ring of the springform cake pan.
• Then using the parchment paper remove the cake from the pan and place on a serving plate.
• Using a pair of scissors cut the extra parchment paper around the cake to make it look pretty.
• Beware not to serve a piece of parchment paper when serving the cake!

Storage tips

You can keep this cake at room temperature, properly covered, for up to 4 days. It does not need to be refrigerated.

Variations to this recipe

• You can skip the dulce de leche filling and top the cake with the remaining 1/3 of the batter, and then continue baking through.
• You can also bake this chocolate fudge cake in one go (without the dulce de leche though!). Its super good. Baking times will vary to 45 to 50 minutes. Verify by inserting a skewer at the centre of the cake. It should come out almost clean.