This chocolate cake is rich and decadent. It only needs 2 ingredients and doesn’t require any flour, dairy, butter or oil. The cake can be made ahead of time.
A slice of chocolate cake on a white plate with a fork

This rich chocolate cake is made with just two ingredients that you likely have on hand. It’s a quick and easy shortcut chocolate cake to make.

Ingredients

  • Dark chocolate
  • Eggs

Dark chocolate: This cake is made with dark chocolate chips. You want your chocolate to be around 60% cocoa. If the cocoa amount is too high, the cake won’t be sweet enough and the texture will be a little dry. If you need the cake to be dairy-free, make sure to use dairy-free dark chocolate chips.

Eggs: Eggs are the key to creating the structure for this cake.

How to Make Chocolate Cake

  • Melt the chocolate until smooth.
  • Add the egg whites to a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until medium peaks form. Add in the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat on medium speed until the egg yolks are incorporated. The mixture should still look fluffy and glossy.
  • Use a spatula to fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture until no egg streaks remain. You can also mix in the chocolate at lowest speed with the stand mixer.
  • Transfer the cake into your prepared cake pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until done.Chocolate cake batter in a cake pan and after baking
  • Allow the cake to cool before cutting and serving. You can also decorate the cake with frosting or powdered sugar.

Chocolate cake decorated with frosting and chocolate curls

Texture

This cake has a texture similar to classic chocolate cake, but the cake crumb is tighter and the cake tastes much more rich since it is made out of mostly chocolate. The cake is not super sweet since it is only sweetened with dark chocolate. You can add a sweet frosting on top if you prefer a sweeter cake.
A bite taken from a slice of chocolate cake

Expert Tips

  • Make sure to gently add the chocolate into the egg mixture. This will help prevent the egg mixture from deflating too much.
  • It’s best to weigh the chocolate on the scale because it’s difficult to get an accurate measurement with measuring cups. The amount of chips that can fit in a measuring cup will vary across different brands because of the different sizes and shapes of the chocolate chips. Adding too much chocolate to the cake can prevent it from rising properly.

A decorated chocolate cake cut into slices

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

4.86 from 7 votes

2 Ingredient Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake is rich and chocolatey with a cake-like crumb. Made with just eggs and chocolate, it’s a quick, naturally gluten-free dessert that comes together in under 40 minutes.
Servings: 8 slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 9 oz (255g) 60% cocoa dark chocolate chips, about 1 1/2 cups, but it's best to measure with a scale
  • 4 large eggs

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 6-inch round springform cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with a parchment round.
  • Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between with a spatula, until the chocolate chips are fully melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
  • Separate the eggs, placing the whites into a clean, dry mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Using the wire whisk attachment, whip the whites at medium high speed until they form medium peaks.
  • Add the yolks in, one at a time, continuing to beat at medium high speed until the yolks are fully combined and you have a uniform yellow mixture. The egg mixture should still look very light and fluffy and a little glossy, though they won’t be medium peaks anymore.
  • You can mix in the melted chocolate two ways. First method: fold it in with a spatula, being careful not to deflate the egg mixture too much. Fold until the mixture is uniform in color. Second method: pour the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl, while the mixer is running on lowest speed, mixing until the chocolate is fully incorporated. With this second method, I still needed to use the spatula to help fold the chocolate in at the end because some of it sinks to the bottom of the pan and doesn't get mixed in with the stand mixer.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly across with a spatula. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is set, slightly cracked, and puffed up.
  • Let the cake cool about 1 hour before releasing it from the cake pan. If desired, you can frost the cake or decorate it before serving. Cut the cake with a large sharp knife. The cake tastes best slightly warm. When it is fully cool, the cake becomes more dense from the chocolate hardening. If this happens, I recommend warming up the cake for a few seconds in the microwave.
  • Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for longer. Warm up the cake before eating.

Notes

  • You want to use dark chocolate with around 60% cocoa. If the cocoa amount is too high, the cake may turn out dry. If you need the cake to be dairy-free, make sure to use a dairy-free dark chocolate. 
  • Optional chocolate frosting:
    • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup (2 ounces) canned coconut milk (can substitute with heavy cream)
    • Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside. Heat coconut milk in a small pot or pan over medium low heat. Heat until simmering. Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted.
  • Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 206kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Sodium: 36mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 13g, NET CARBS: 15
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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