Flourless Chocolate Cake. Gluten-Free or not, this cake is great!

I bake a lot in my tiny apartment.  The little toaster oven I bought was totally worth it.  I have been nothing but impressed with the performance of that thing; I have baked many, many cakes and have no complaints.
This cake was especially good, and unbelievably easy.  This was my first experience making or tasting a flourless chocolate cake and I definitely understand why it has become the "go to" recipe among both bakers and non-bakers alike.  It's literally the fastest thing I have ever baked and definitely a crowd pleaser.
Like I said before, I bake A LOT.  I go through more flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, cocoa, sahne, etc as fast or faster than a full family.   During the process of baking this particular cake, I had to make not one, but two last minute trips to the supermarket!  First time for cocoa powder and then to get bittersweet chocolate that I thought I had in the apartment.  Oops... at least the store is only a 5 minute bike ride away!

This cake takes almost no time at all and only very basic skills to prepare.  Because of the absence of flour, the cake is very dense and rich.  Serve this cake in all its glory, warm and topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Totally worth the indulgence.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

source: Gourmet Magazine (November 1997)

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1 stick (125g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 c (150g) sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 c (64g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• (optional, 2 oz espresso or 1 T instant espresso powder)
• (optional) vanilla ice cream or whipped for serving

Preheat oven to 375F (190C).  Butter an 8in round baking pan and line with wax paper, butter the paper as well.  Coat the pan with a bit of cocoa powder or flour.

Start a pot of water on the stove for a double boiler.  Use just a few inches of water and choose a bowl that will easily fit in the opening of the pot without having the bottom of the bowl touch the water.  It's important that only the steam from the boiling water heats the chocolate and butter, the water is too hot.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and melt with the butter in the double boiler.  You do not need to stir the mixture continuously. Once the texture is consistent, remove from heat and whisk in the sugar.  Beat the eggs slightly and add to the chocolate mixture, mix well.  Sift in the cocoa powder and mix only until just combined.  If you want to use the coffee, add it with the cocoa.  I was short on time so didn't try it this time but coffee will enhance the chocolate flavor of the cake.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes.  It's always a good idea to rotate the cake halfway through the baking time to ensure it is evenly baked.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.
Dust with cocoa powder or powdered sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped cream if you'd like.

Guten Appetit!