Flourless Dark Chocolate Torte
This dense, fudgy chocolate torte is a decadent dessert that will delight every chocolate lover. Made with almond flour, eggs, cocoa powder, and olive oil instead of butter, it’s a delicious cross between a chocolate olive oil cake and a chocolate almond flour cake.
If you’re looking for a fast, easy, foolproof, and elegant dessert, this is it!
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Is a Torte a Cake?
A torte is a type of cake, but it’s typically made with nut flour instead of wheat flour. No wheat flour means no gluten, so tortes are often flatter and more dense than traditional flour-based cakes. They rely on a leavening agent such as baking powder or whipped egg whites to help them rise.
However, you can have a multi-layered torte. They are often thin layers of cake with fruit or jam in between the layers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make this chocolate torte. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Unsweetened cocoa powder. This is the key ingredient in this recipe, so don’t skimp on quality. Also, use unsweetened “Dutched” cocoa powder, which has a smoother, richer, less acidic flavor than “natural” cocoa powder. Guittard is a good brand of cocoa powder that’s readily available.
Almond flour. Almond flour makes this cake incredibly rich and dense while giving it some structure. And almond flour is essentially finely ground almonds, which are heart-healthy. You won’t taste any almond flavor in the cake.
Olive oil. I use this instead of butter because it adds moisture and richness — and it’s a heart-healthy swap. It’s what makes my lemon olive oil cake so good, too!
Instant coffee. A teaspoon of espresso or dark roast instant coffee intensifies the rich chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.
Baking powder. Because almond flour doesn’t have gluten, this cake doesn’t rise very much. The baking powder gives it a little lift.
Substitutions and Variations
- For a chocolate almond flavor, use one teaspoon of almond extract plus one teaspoon of vanilla extract instead of all vanilla extract.
- Add freshly grated orange zest for a hint of orange flavor, or orange zest and Grand Marnier for a rich orange chocolate flavor.
- Replace 2 tablespoons of the water used to mix the cocoa powder with rum.
- For a Christmas flavor, add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract and some crushed peppermint candies to the batter.
How to Make a Chocolate Torte
1. Prepare a 9” springform pan. Spray the bottom and sides well. Line it with a sheet of parchment paper cut to size, or use a precut 9-inch round parchment sheet. NOTE: these are great for use in the air fryer. Preheat the oven to 325º F.
2. Combine the cocoa powder, instant coffee and vanilla. Heat ½ cup of water in the microwave for about 40 seconds or until warm. Add the cocoa powder, coffee, and vanilla and whisk well with a fork until smooth. Set this aside.
3. Place the eggs, sugar, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to mix.
4. Beat the eggs, sugar, and oil for 4 minutes at medium-high speed until the mixture is light and frothy. This lightens the cake and helps it rise.
5. Add the cocoa-coffee mixture to the bowl and mix on medium-low for another two minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice.
6. Add the baking powder, salt, and almond flour. Mix on low for another minute, scraping down the sides to incorporate everything. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Expert Tips
I’ve tested this chocolate torte with either baking powder or baking soda, and I prefer the texture with baking powder. It helps the cake rise better. Why? Dutch-processed cocoa powder (the most common type sold in the US) is slightly alkaline and needs the acid in baking powder to rise. Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate (also alkaline). It needs an acid, like vinegar or lemon juice, to react and allow your cake to rise.
This article is a helpful resource on baking soda and baking powder, how they work, and when and how to substitute them.
For a moist, pudding-like cake, don’t overbake it! It’s better to remove it when you have a few moist crumbs on the toothpick.
This cake is easier to remove from the springform pan and slice when completely cool. Although it’s delicious served slightly warm, it will be a little sticky, and you may not get perfect slices.
Serving Suggestions
This chocolate torte is so moist and flavorful, just as it is. I usually dust it with powdered sugar for a pretty touch. It doesn’t need any icing, but for an extra treat, top it with:
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato and a drizzle of Kahlúa
- Homemade whipped cream
- Fresh raspberries or strawberries
Recipe FAQs
Both are made from ground almonds, but there’s a difference in texture and a slight taste difference. Almond meal is made from whole, unpeeled almonds, so it has a more coarse texture, and it may have a slightly bitter flavor from the almond skins. Almond flour is made with blanched almonds, and it’s ground into a fine powder, so it’s closer in texture to flour.
I usually buy almond flour because it blends easily into the batter, but you can use either in this recipe.
Yes, you can bake this cake up to two days in advance. Keep it in the springform pan, but cover the top tightly with foil or plastic wrap. Store leftovers (if you have any) in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.
Related Dessert Recipes
Try these other delicious desserts made with healthier, whole ingredients.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Decadent Dark Chocolate Torte
Equipment
- 1 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- powdered sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉ and set the rack to the middle position. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In small mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder, espresso or coffee powder, and vanilla. Heat 1/2 cup of water in a microwave for 30-40 seconds or until warm. Do not boil. Add the water to the bowl and whisk the chocolate mixture with a fork until it's smooth. Set this aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, sugar, and olive oil. Mix on medium-high speed for four minutes or until the mixture is light and frothy.
- Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix on medium-low speed for one to two minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the baking powder, salt, and almond flour to the mixing bowl. Mix on low for one minute or until everything is combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center of the torte comes out clean.
- Let the torte cool for at least one hour before removing it from the pan. If desired, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar before serving.
