Flourless Chocolate Cake
No one will believe that the secret to this chocolatey, gooey cake is dried plums! Treat your family to this dessert that tastes like a big brownie.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (about 14) dried plums
- 1 cup boiling water, plus more for water bath
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoas powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, melted (see tips below)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Chop dried plums. Place in a small bowl and add 1 cup boiling water. Allow to stand 30 minutes.
- Coat a 9-inch round pan with cooking oil spray and line with a large sheet of parchment paper so that it hangs over the sides of pan for easy removal of cake. Place in a large roasting pan.
- Sift cocoa and combine with baking soda and salt with a whisk in a large bowl.
- Puree dried plums with the soaking water in a blender until smooth. Add eggs, sugar and vanilla and puree until smooth. Drizzle melted chocolate through feed tube while running until fully combined.
- Pour mixture into bowl with cocoa powder and combine well.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan. Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan to about an inch around cake pan.
- Place in oven and bake until puffed and starting to crack, about 38-40 minutes. It may still look “jiggly.” Remove from water bath and cool. Place in refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.
Notes
Smart Shopping Tips:
- Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, not the powder used to make hot cocoa. Cocoa powder for baking is often found with flour and other baking products.
- To melt chocolate, place chopped pieces in a small bowl and rest inside a pot with a few inches of simmering water. Or, use the microwave method. Place chopped pieces in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to microwave and stir 30 seconds until melted.
- A 9-inch spring-form pan coated with cooking oil spray may be used for this recipe. Double-wrap the outside with foil before placing in water bath to prevent leaks.
- It’s important to chill this cake before serving, as it will firm up as it cools. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
