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Flourless Chocolate Kahlua Cake

posted by Liz Berg on September 12, 2021 (updated 12/22/23)

Dense, rich, and fudgy, this Flourless Chocolate Kahlua Cake will thrill all the chocoholics in your life!

Save this Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe for special guests! It is made to impress and will feed a crowd. A sliver with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and a couple of plump raspberries is all you’ll need to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Flourless Chocolate Kahlua Cake slice next to the cake on a cake stand.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 Ingredient Notes

3 Expert Tips

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like:

6 Flourless Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Why You Must Make

Do you remember your first taste of a flourless chocolate cake? It was pretty amazing, wasn’t it? That’s why this is a must-make dessert!
The absence of flour makes the cake consistency more fudgy than cakey.
It’s baked in a water bath for the silkiest results.
Kahlua, a coffee liqueur, brings out the chocolate flavor without any hint of an alcohol flavor.

Ingredient Notes

Semisweet and Unsweetened Chocolate – I used 4-ounce Ghirardelli bars. They’re better quality than chocolate chips and can be found at most supermarkets
Butter – I use salted butter and adjust the salt in the recipe to compensate. I steer away from generic butter as it usually has a larger water content which may affect the recipe.
Kahlua – A coffee liqueur. May substitute another coffee liqueur, coffee or espresso. Espresso will give a more pronounced coffee flavor.
Brown Sugar – I use light brown sugar, but dark will work, too.
Eggs – All my recipes use large eggs unless otherwise noted. When baking with eggs, pull them out of the refrigerator an hour or so before baking to take the chill off. This will help them incorporate into the batter more easily.

Chocolate Kahlua Cake on a white cake stand topped with fresh raspberries.

Expert Tips

Wrap your springform pan with a double layer of foil. This will prevent any water from seeping into the springform pan while the cake is baking.
Melt your chocolate with the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Use 30-second intervals, stopping to stir before restarting, until melted. If there are a few small pieces of chocolate that haven’t completely melted, the residual heat should finish it off. Just stir until smooth.
You will be baking your cake in a bain marie, or a water bath. This provides a stable temperature for the cake to bake. I use a roasting pan filled with a few inches of water for mine.
The top of the cake will be just set when the cake is done. Check with a toothpick. You should not see batter when you pull out the toothpick, but a few moist crumbs are OK>

Flourless Chocolate Kahlua Cake slice on a white plate garnished with raspberries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Kahlua Cake?

Kahlua Cake is any cake that uses Kahlua, a coffee liqueur, as an influential or important ingredient.

Can Kids Eat Kahlua Cake?

100% of the alcohol should evaporate during the hour of baking time. It should be safe for children to have a small slice. There was no flavor of alcohol in the cake to indicate its presence.

Is Flourless Chocolate Cake Gluten-Free?

This one is, but you need to check with the baker to make sure no ingredients containing gluten were added to the cake.

How Do You Store a Flourless Chocolate Cake?

Keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, loosely covered with plastic wrap. Let it come to room temperature before serving to bring out its fudginess. It can be frozen for up to 3 months if wrapped airtight.