A crackly fudgy, Chocolate Flourless Cake, topped with a mascarpone yogurt whip, apricot compote and saucy cherries; this Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake is what I would make if my birthday was in July.
What is the texture of Flourless Chocolate Cake?
Flourless Chocolate Cake is soft and fudgy but can sometimes be a little dense and dry. This flourless chocolate cake fixes those issues with a folded in meringue making it both light and fluffy with a melt in your mouth chocolate center that is anything but dry.
What fruit can I use instead of Cherries and Apricots?
This cake will work with basically any fruit you want but some combinations I would recommend would be either cherries or apricots with raspberries, or plums and blueberries!
Can this be made in advance?
I recommend making the base flourless cake on the day you plan to serve it but the whipped cream, apricot compote, and saucy cherries the day before and store them in the fridge.
Tips for making a Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake
- When melting the chocolate and butter for the cake, you can either do it in the microwave or in a double boiler with a mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. If you choose to microwave it, make sure to microwave it in 15 second increments, stirring after each burst to prevent it from burning.
- Eggs are easiest to separate when cold so there’s no need to let them come to room temperature.
- Make sure the bowl for whipping the egg whites is completely clean and that there is no egg yolk or shell in the whites before whipping. It will work to whip the egg whites with a hand mixer but just note it will take quite a bit of time so just don’t give up.
- If you don’t have a 9″ springform pan like this one, regular metal cake pans will work too the cake just won’t puff quite as much. If using an 8″ pan scale the recipe down to using 4 eggs and if using a 6″ scale it down to use 2 eggs.
- I like to use fresh cherries but frozen will work too!
- This cake will work with basically any fruit you want but some combinations I would recommend would be either cherries or apricots with raspberries, or plums and blueberries! I wouldn’t suggest using store bought jam because it is usually too sweet. Just cooking down fruit with a tablespoon or two of sugar and a splash of water until broken down will get you the best compote for topping this cake.
- I recommend assembling this cake just before serving although it can sit out for a few hours with the toppings!
Additional Recipes to try!
Ingredients
- Chocolate: It’s important to use high quality baking chocolate for this cake and not chocolate chips with additives as they won’t melt properly. I like to use Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Tony’s between 60%-70% chocolate.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter will work for this cake but if using unsalted simply add another pinch of salt.
- Eggs: This recipe uses 6 large eggs – they are easiest to separate when cold so I recommend using them straight from the fridge.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar is used for the cake and the apricot compote.
- Salt: Fine sea salt enhances the flavors of the cake and whipped cream.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract is used in the chocolate cake and vanilla bean paste in the whipped cream.
- Mascarpone: Mascarpone is used to thicken and add structure to the whipped cream.
- Full Fat Greek Yogurt: 5% fage or any other unsweetened full fat greek yogurt will work – this adds a little light tartness to the whipped cream without adding the flavor of citrus.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy whipping cream is used for the whipped cream topping just make sure it is cold.
- Apricots: I like to top this cake with an apricot compote made of fresh apricots, water and sugar. Apricot jam tends to lack flavor and add to much sweetness so if you can’t find apricots I recommend making a raspberry jam.
- Cherries: Fresh or frozen cherries work for this! I recommend dark sweet cherries rather than tart or sour cherries to balance out the tartness of the apricots or raspberries.
- Tart Cherry Juice: I like to use tart cherry juice to cook down the cherries but water works too!
- Corn Starch: The addition of a little starch thickens the cherry juices without needing to cook them down for longer or adding more sugar.
How to make Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake?
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Add 2 inches of water into a small pot or the base of a double boiler. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a simmer.
- Put the chocolate and butter into a metal mixing bowl that will fit over top of a sauce pot or the bowl of a double boiler.
- Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, and stir the chocolate and butter until melted.
- Alternatively you could melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave in 15-20 second bursts, stirring in between.
- Set the bowl with the melted chocolate and butter aside to cool slightly.
- Separate 6 eggs adding the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Add the sugar and salt into the bowl with the egg whites – whip until stiff peaks form.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla into the bowl with the melted chocolate and butter and whisk to combine.
- In three additions, fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Careful not to stir and knock the air out of the egg whites.
- I like to fold in the first addition with the whisk attachment from my stand mixer but by hand and then swap to a flat rubber spatula for the next two additions.
- Line a 9″ springform pan with a piece of parchment paper, it’s easiest if you crumple and then smooth out the parchment.
- Pour the fluffy chocolate batter into the pan. Bake it in the hot oven for 45 minutes until the entire surface has puffed and cracked. It will still jiggle slightly- that’s ok.
- Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to cool for an hour before removing it from the pan. The cake will sink as it cools, that’s what is supposed to happen so don’t let it stress you out.
Apricot Compote & Saucy Cherries
- For the apricot compote, cut a few apricots into 1″ chunks. Add the apricots, one tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 cup of water into a small pot.
- Cover the pot with a lid and heat over low heat. Cook until steam begins to escape the pot. Remove the lid and stir the apricots every few minutes until they have completely broken down.
- Then continue to cook until any excess moisture has evaporated. Turn the heat off and set it aside to cool off.
- For the cherries, pit and halve the cherries. Add them into another pot along with cherry juice or water. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat until bubbling. Take the lid off and cook for another 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl stir together the corn starch with a splash of water. Pour the slurry into the boiling cherries and stir to combine. They won’t massively thicken but the juices will turn more syrupy than juicy.
- Turn the heat off and pour the cherries into a shallow dish to cool off to room temperature.
Whipped Cream
- In a medium mixing bowl, add in the mascarpone, yogurt, vanilla and salt. Whip until combined.
- Add in the heavy cream and whip until medium stiff peaks form.
Assemble
- Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a large plate or cake stand. I like to keep the parchment on but you can also peel it off.
- Use a large spoon to dollop the whipped cream into the sunken cake. Spoon the apricot compote and then the saucy cherries over the whipped cream. I sprinkled the top with cacao nibs but they are optional!
- Serve immediately! The cake can also sit for an hour or two at room temperature.
Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake
A crackly fudgy, Chocolate Flourless Cake, topped with a mascarpone yogurt whip, apricot compote and saucy cherries; this Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake is what I would make if my birthday was in July.
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 9" springform pan see tips for alternatives
Ingredients
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- 300 grams 60% chocolate
- 165 grams salted butter unsalted works too!
- 6 eggs large, cold
- 180 grams granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apricot Compote
- 3 apricots
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 60 grams water
Saucy Cherries
- 350 grams dark sweet cherries pitted
- 60 grams tart cherry juice or water
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 2 teaspoons water
Whipped Cream
- 150 grams mascarpone cold
- 200 grams full fat greek yogurt cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste vanilla extract will work too
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 125 grams heavy cream cold
Instructions
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Add 2 inches of water into a small pot or the base of a double boiler. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a simmer.
- Put the chocolate and butter into a metal mixing bowl that will fit over top of a sauce pot or the bowl of a double boiler.
- Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, and stir the chocolate and butter until melted.
- Alternatively you could melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave in 15-20 second bursts, stirring in between.
- Set the bowl with the melted chocolate and butter aside to cool slightly.
- Separate 6 eggs adding the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Add the sugar and salt into the bowl with the egg whites – whip until stiff peaks form.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla into the bowl with the melted chocolate and butter and whisk to combine.
- In three additions, fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Careful not to stir and knock the air out of the egg whites.
- I like to fold in the first addition with the whisk attachment from my stand mixer but by hand and then swap to a flat rubber spatula for the next two additions.
- Line a 9" springform pan with a piece of parchment paper, it's easiest if you crumple and then smooth out the parchment.
- Pour the fluffy chocolate batter into the pan. Bake it in the hot oven for 45 minutes until the entire surface has puffed and cracked. It will still jiggle slightly- that's ok.
- Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to cool for an hour before removing it from the pan. The cake will sink as it cools, that's what is supposed to happen so don't let it stress you out.
Apricot Compote & Saucy Cherries
- For the apricot compote, cut a few apricots into 1" chunks. Add the apricots, one tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 cup of water into a small pot.
- Cover the pot with a lid and heat over low heat. Cook until steam begins to escape the pot. Remove the lid and stir the apricots every few minutes until they have completely broken down.
- Then continue to cook until any excess moisture has evaporated. Turn the heat off and set it aside to cool off.
- For the cherries, pit and halve the cherries. Add them into another pot along with cherry juice or water. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat until bubbling. Take the lid off and cook for another 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl stir together the corn starch with a splash of water. Pour the slurry into the boiling cherries and stir to combine. They won't massively thicken but the juices will turn more syrupy than juicy.
- Turn the heat off and pour the cherries into a shallow dish to cool off to room temperature.
Whipped Cream
- In a medium mixing bowl, add in the mascarpone, yogurt, vanilla and salt. Whip until combined.
- Add in the heavy cream and whip until medium stiff peaks form.
Assemble
- Remove the cake from the pan and place it on a large plate or cake stand. I like to keep the parchment on but you can also peel it off.
- Use a large spoon to dollop the whipped cream into the sunken cake. Spoon the apricot compote and then the saucy cherries over the whipped cream. I sprinkled the top with cacao nibs but they are optional!
- Serve immediately! The cake can also sit for an hour or two at room temperature.
Notes
Tips for making a Flourless Chocolate Cherry Cake
- When melting the chocolate and butter for the cake, you can either do it in the microwave or in a double boiler with a mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. If you choose to microwave it, make sure to microwave it in 15 second increments, stirring after each burst to prevent it from burning.
- Eggs are easiest to separate when cold so there’s no need to let them come to room temperature.
- Make sure the bowl for whipping the egg whites is completely clean and that there is no egg yolk or shell in the whites before whipping. It will work to whip the egg whites with a hand mixer but just note it will take quite a bit of time so just don’t give up.
- If you don’t have a 9″ springform pan like this one, regular metal cake pans will work too the cake just won’t puff quite as much. If using an 8″ pan scale the recipe down to using 4 eggs and if using a 6″ scale it down to use 2 eggs.
- I like to use fresh cherries but frozen will work too!
- This cake will work with basically any fruit you want but some combinations I would recommend would be either cherries or apricots with raspberries, or plums and blueberries! I wouldn’t suggest using store bought jam because it is usually too sweet. Just cooking down fruit with a tablespoon or two of sugar and a splash of water until broken down will get you the best compote for topping this cake.
- I recommend assembling this cake just before serving although it can sit out for a few hours with the toppings!
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