Flourless Vanilla Cake

This is a quite simple and simply lovely cake for any occasion.

You need very few ingredients to complete it and most of the prep time it is cooling in the refrigerator.

Variation options abound to make this cake into whatever you want and it’s already gluten-free if you are accommodating any allergies.

Whether you are preparing for holiday gatherings or want to make any evening extra special, I highly recommend putting this cake together before starting dinner and pulling it out to add toppings when your sweet tooth hits. 

So read on to make your own fabulous flourless vanilla cake!

A Guide to Making Your Flourless Vanilla Cake

This cake is easy to make and comes with a large payoff.

But before we begin, let’s go over how to prepare and line your cake pan.

If you do not already use a springform pan (which is a great investment for any baker), there’s a neat trick you can use with parchment paper so you won’t have to struggle to get your cake out.

How to Prepare Your Pan

If you are using a springform pan you simply need to line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

If you do not have a springform pan, prepare your cake pan for easy removal with parchment paper like so:

1. Cut four long strips of parchment paper to place underneath the bottom and side liners. Line two each direction, creating a cross.
2. Cut one long strip or two shorter ones that are thick enough to line the side of the pan, and long enough to overlap a little, so your whole cake will be covered.
3. Cut one last round piece to line the bottom of your pan and place this on top of the four strips at the bottom.

These little strips will give you ‘handles’ of a sort to help you pop the cake out when it is ready. You’ll appreciate this later!

Making a Flourless Vanilla Cake

To begin, gather your ingredients. 

High-quality ingredients are always extra important when your recipe has very few of them. I recommend sticking to name brands that you trust – and like. The main ingredient here is white chocolate.

This recipe will work best with white chocolate chips, as opposed to a chocolate bar, because the chips have a coating to help keep their shape which gives them some extra staying power when put into the cake form. 

The other heavy hitter for ingredients is the vanilla, of course, because this is a vanilla cake after all. Buy a good quality vanilla extract, no imitation or blends. You want a true, pure vanilla flavor. 

In a large heat-resistant bowl add your chocolate chips, butter, and salt. 

In a small saucepan, add your cream. On medium heat bring your cream to a gentle simmer. It is important to keep a close eye on the cream as it can easily boil and scald.

If this happens it will be obvious from the smell of the cream. If it boils do a quick sniff test, if you don’t smell spoiled milk, proceed confidently.

If you do smell spoiled milk, throw it out and begin again. Scalded milk will make for a sour-tasting cake!

Pour the warm cream over your white chocolate and butter, it should be enough to just cover the chocolate without drowning it. 

Without disturbing the mixture, cover it with a dishcloth, and set a timer for 5 minutes. 

Use that five minutes to do some clean-up! No taste tests yet. 

When the timer goes off, remove the dishcloth and use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients until combined. This will take a bit of effort, it will seem very chunky at first, just continue to stir until nice and smooth.

Your “batter” is now ready! 

Pour the chocolate mixture into your prepared cake pan. When the batter is poured into the pan, cover with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator. 

The cake will be completely cool within 1-2 hours, but if you have planned ahead you can leave it in the fridge for up to 48 hours before pulling it out to serve. 

Once it is cooled, the magic begins.

Remove from the springform pan or by using the pull tabs and gently remove the parchment paper as you place it on your serving stand or plate. It should still be soft, like a truffle, but stable enough to handle gently. 

Top with whatever you desire! Sprinkles, fruit, more chopped chocolate, decorative candies…whatever your heart desires to pair with tasty vanilla.

For mine, I chose to use strawberries and raspberries, bee pollen, and raw sugar.

Bee pollen is one of my favorite toppers for dessert as it adds a subtle honey flavor and a pretty natural coloring. Raw sugar adds just a tiny bit of shimmer. 

To make this cake even more beautiful and interesting, you can add something during the melting phase.

A swirl of milk chocolate, crushed berries, or sprinkles. It will likely take away the need for toppings and makes for a unique and stunning dessert. Plus, sometimes you just want to mix it up!

How To Make This Flourless Vanilla Cake

Preparation Step

Grease and line a 6-inch cake pan with strips of parchment paper (see above).

Step 1

Gather ingredients.

Add chopped chocolate, salt, and butter to a large, heatproof bowl. 

Step 2

In a medium-sized pot bring the cream to a gentle simmer, keeping a close eye so as not to let it boil. 

Step 3

Pour the cream into the heatproof bowl until it just covers the chocolate. 

Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. 

Step 4

Add the vanilla extract and stir the mixture until uniform. 

Transfer chocolate mixture to the prepared cake pan, cover in saran wrap, and place in the fridge for at least one hour, up to 48 hours. 

Step 5

Once cooled, remove from pan and parchment paper. Transfer to serving dish and top with desired toppings.

Up Next: White Chocolate No-Bake Cookies