Mini Flourless Chocolate Heart Cakes with Ganache
Nothing says love like chocolate, and these Mini Flourless Chocolate Heart Cakes are the ultimate indulgence for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion. Rich, fudgy, and intensely chocolatey, these adorable heart-shaped cakes are naturally gluten-free, with a silky smooth chocolate ganache topping that takes them to the next level.
Equipment
- 8 3-inch mini heart-shaped aluminum cake pans
- Electric hand mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
Flourless Chocolate Cakes
- 1 cup (6 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips (See Note 1)
- ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional) (See Note 2)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (1.5 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa (See Note 3)
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup (6 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips (See Note 1)
- ½ cup (4 ounces) heavy cream
Instructions
Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease each of the mini-heart-shaped pans. Cut pieces of parchment paper to fit the pans. Lay the parchment paper in the bottom of the pans, and grease it. Set aside.
- Place the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat on 60% power for about two minutes, or until the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips are melted, reheating briefly if necessary.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, espresso powder, and vanilla. Add the eggs, beating them with the electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, for one to two minutes.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix just to combine.
- Divide the batter among the prepared heart-shaped pans, using 2.5 ounces of batter per pan. Place the filled cake pans on a half-sheet pan.
- Bake at 375°F for 16 to 18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of one of the cakes registers at least 200°F.
- Remove the cakes from the oven, and cool in the pans for 5 minutes. If necessary, loosen the edges of the pan and turn it out onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely before adding the ganache.
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on 60% power for two minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth. Spoon the ganache over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit.
- If desired, drizzle additional ganache over the top of the cakes.
- Yield: 8 Mini Heart-Shaped Cakes
Tips/Notes
- I used Ghiradelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips in this recipe.
- I didn't have any espresso powder, so instead, I finely ground coffee grinds in my coffee grinder for about a minute. This worked well.
- You can substitute regular unsweetened chocolate for the Dutch-processed cocoa in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 508kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 8gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 154mgPotassium: 411mgFiber: 4gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 679IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 2mg
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