Heart Attack Cake
Submitted by C
Flourless chocolate cake with a full pound of butter, 20 ounces of dark chocolate, 10 eggs, and Grand Marnier. Baked low and slow for 3 hours into pure fudge.
YIELD
1 CakePREP
30 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
3 hrsThe name says it all. A full pound of butter. Twenty ounces of dark bittersweet chocolate. Ten eggs. A splash of Grand Marnier. No flour whatsoever. This is not a cake that apologizes for itself. It’s a flourless chocolate cake pushed to the absolute extreme, baked low and slow for three hours until it sets into something closer to a chocolate truffle than anything you’d call a traditional cake.
The technique follows classic French mousse cake principles. Chocolate and sugar melt together over a double boiler, then butter gets whisked in until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Grand Marnier adds a warm orange note that cuts through the chocolate richness. Egg yolks whipped light and fluffy get folded into the chocolate, then stiffly beaten egg whites go in last for lift.
Three hours at 275°F (135°C) is deliberate. The low temperature cooks the eggs gently without drying out the chocolate. The result is a cake that’s set on the outside but still has a fudgy, almost pudding-like interior that barely holds its shape when you cut a slice.
Pro Tips
- All eggs must be at room temperature. Cold whites won’t whip to full volume, and cold yolks won’t incorporate smoothly into the warm chocolate.
- Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, not the other way around. Adding heavy chocolate into fragile whites deflates them instantly.
- Let the cake rest 20 minutes after baking before inverting. It’s still quite fragile when hot.
- A thin slice goes a long way. This is incredibly rich. Cut it smaller than you think you need.
Variations
- Replace Grand Marnier with Chambord for a chocolate-raspberry combination.
- Serve with unsweetened whipped cream and fresh berries to balance the richness.
Ingredients
Directions
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over very low heat.
When chocolate has melted, whisk in 1¼ cups of sugar, mixing well until sugar has dissolved. Whisk in butter and melt, stirring often. When butter is completely incorporated, remove mixture from heat and whisk in Grand Marnier. Whip egg yolks in mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Slowly add chocolate mixture to egg yolks, whipping constantly until fully incorporated. Set aside. Whip egg whites in another mixing bowl until foamy and add remaining ½ cup of sugar. Continue whipping until stiff. Place egg whites in bowl with chocolate and fold together. When mixture is smooth and all lumps are gone, pour into buttered and floured 12-inch spring form pan. Bake at 275 F for 3 hours. Remove from oven, let rest 20 minutes. Invert onto plate and remove form. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with desired toppings.
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