Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe- for the “Wheat Criminal”

Flourless Chocolate Cake I made and photographed.

Thank heavens chocolate is wheat free.  I’ve been wheat free for about 2 years now and the most difficult part of being wheat free is trying to explain to people you don’t eat wheat.  Anyone who has food allergies can attest to the common responses to our polite “No thank-you.”, when offered food containing one of the offending ingredients.

Somehow the conversation takes a wild twist and you find yourself apologizing for not accepting their food offering.  For me personally, wheat is not my friend and trying to explain why it’s not my friend is annoying and honestly none of anyone’s business.

At first I was embarrased and would politely say,
“No thank-you,  I’m sorry but I’m allergic to wheat.”

Responses include but not limited to:

The wide-eyed look of horror which is normally followed by a suspicious glance, a patronizing eye roll or an insidious smile to a third party …..All of which leaves you feeling like a criminal.  Then without fail the “Wheat Inquisition” begins.

“So what do you mean “allergic” to wheat?” said with an emphasis on allergic.

“How do you know that?” said with a sideways glance.

“What will happen to you if you eat wheat?” accompanied by a furrowed brow.

“Well, this is white pasta not wheat.” said by the ignorant innocent.

“So you can’t eat wheat bread and wheat pasta, OK I get it” said matter-of-factly like the above.^

“How can that be you’ve always eaten wheat before?” said with one raised eye brow.

“Since when?” said in an accusatory tone.

Yada, yada, yada, it’s an endless gamut of questions.  Questions I’d rather not answer and quite frankly border on rude and intrusive.

When someone politely says, “No thank-you” to your offer of food,

PLEASE resist the urge to interrogate or become offended by the refusal.

It’s not an insult or a personal attack on you.

 It’s simply, their decision to choose what they eat.

Wow I am set free….wheat free! 

Oddly enough flourless chocolate cake did not start out life as a ‘gluten-free’ option, rather it’s a gourmet recipe served by many a famous chef.  I found this recipe on the King Arthur Flour website.[1]

Homemade Double Boiler

Homemade Double Boiler



The only change I made to the recipe is to use a double boiler….my preference for melting chocolate and  ganache.




Flourless  Chocolate Cake Recipe
And Gluten Free for the “Wheat Criminal” 

Ingredients List


1 cup- semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons)- unsalted butter

3/4 cup- granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon -salt

1 to 2 teaspoons- espresso powder, optional

1 teaspoon- vanilla extract, optional

3 large eggs



1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream


To make the cake: Put the chocolate and butter in double boiler and heat until the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips melt, reheating briefly if necessary.. Transfer the melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.


Add: the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 25 minutes; the top will have formed a thin crust, and it should register at least 200°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into its center. Remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes.



Spoon the glaze over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.   Yield: 8″ cake, 8 to 12 servings.