Chocolate Truffle Cake

5 from 1 vote

A rich, silky chocolate truffle cake that looks impressive but couldn’t be easier. Naturally gluten‑free and made with just a few ingredients, it bakes into a dense, melt‑in‑your‑mouth dessert perfect for any chocolate craving.

Prep Time35

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Gluten-Free

Servings:

Calories: 299kcal

Author: Leona Konkel

Equipment

wire whisk
double boiler
9-inch springform pan
large pan for water bath
aluminum foil (preferably extra-wide)

Ingredients

16 tablespoons butter (227 grams/8 ounce)
12 ounces dark chocolate (340 grams/2 cups of chocolate chips)
6 eggs (large)
1 cup sugar (200 grams/7 ounces)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease the side and bottom of a 9-inch Springform pan, or line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
Wrap a layer of foil around the bottom of the pan and halfway up the sides, to ensure water won't seep into the bottom. Set the prepared pan inside of the larger baking pan. Set aside.
Place a small amount of water in a small or medium saucepan, and heat water to a simmer over medium-to-medium high heat. Place a heat-safe bowl on the saucepan, covering the top completely, to create a double boiler.
Add the butter and the chocolate to the bowl. Stir the chocolate mixture occasionally until everything is melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
In a larger bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Whisk constantly while you slowly drizzle in the warm chocolate, to keep the eggs from cooking and the chocolate from seizing. Mix until just combined. I usually feel the batter thicken once it's combined.
Pour the batter into the greased pan. Cover the top of the pan snugly with a sheet of foil.
Pour water into the larger pan until the water comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan. (I usually use the water from my double boiler, then add some hot tap water as needed). Place the stacked pans in the oven.
Bake at 350F for about 75 minutes. When the cake is done, the top will appear set (slightly dry, not wet). If you touch the cake softly with your finger, it will come away clean or with just a tiny bit of chocolate goo. Cake will be very soft.
Remove the cake from the water bath and the foil. Cool completely, then refrigerate before serving.
Cut into thin slices. Leftovers kept refrigerated in an airtight container will still be tasty up to a week later.

Notes

I use store-brand ingredients for the butter, eggs, and sugar. Since this cake relies on the chocolate for flavor, so use the best quality you can afford. I prefer Ghirardelli here, although store brand chocolate also works.

To melt chocolate in the microwave instead of a double boiler, heat for 30 second bursts for the first minute, then 15 second bursts. Stir after each one, and repeat until mixture is smooth. For this quantity of chocolate, however, I found the stovetop was slightly more efficient and took less effort.

Mix things until they're just combined. You don't need any air mixed in.

Do not skip the water bath! It slows down the cake's baking, and keeps the chocolate from burning.

Do not skip the foil on top! Your cake will overbake if you do. Still delicious with equal parts whipped cream, but not ideal.

This recipe was adapted from the Chocolate Orbit Cake, in David Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert.

Calorie count calculated in MyNetDiary and is an estimate only.

Recipe revised slightly 8/25/2025.

Nutrition