Torta tenerina is a flourless chocolate cake that could be considered Italy's version of a decadent brownie. With only 6 simple ingredients, this tender chocolate cake is so easy to make! It has a beautiful crackly meringue-like top and a rich, moist interior. Enjoy it plain with a dusting of powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream or mascarpone.

I stumbled upon this delicious chocolate cake when I was researching alternative starches for my torta paradiso (Italian paradise cake) recipe. Reading about the use of starches as substitutes for all or a portion of the flour in a recipe, I discovered this dark and dramatic torte.
Torta tenerina, or "tender cake" in Italian, is a juxtaposition of textures, with a light crust and a more dense interior. It's a flourless chocolate cake, which renders it gluten free.
Due to the addition of corn starch, it's not as heavy and rich as some flourless chocolate cakes. It's somewhat lighter - I'd call it a marriage of a moist chocolate cake, a brownie, and a rich flourless chocolate torte.
The chocolate flavor comes through with intensity, which is what I'm always looking for in a chocolate dessert. If you're a chocolate lover, this will most definitely satisfy.
That said, if you're looking for a super gooey, fudgy recipe, I recommend you try my brownies with port wine soaked cherries.
This cake is fit for a queen - truly! It was first made by pastry chefs in Ferrara, Italy in the early part of the 20th century. They created it to honor the new wife of Italian King Vittorio Emanuele III, Elena Petrovich, who was from the Balkan country of Montenegro.
For this reason, the cake is sometimes referred to as Torta Montenegrina. It was tender and sweet, just like the new queen.
For another flourless Italian recipe, try these chocolate hazelnut sandwich cookies, Baci di Alassio.
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Ingredients
* See recipe card for detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
Dark chocolate - Use a good quality dark chocolate bar with around 70% cocoa. Mine had 72%. The chocolate flavor is key here, so choose something that you'd enjoy eating plain.
Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter allows you to control the total amount of salt in the recipe. Make sure your butter is at room temperature.
Eggs - Use large eggs. Separate the yolks and whites and bring them to room temperature. (I find it's easier to separate the eggs while cold, and then leave them for an hour to reach room temperature).
Granulated sugar - Separate the sugar into two equal 75 gram/6 Tablespoon portions. You'll add half the sugar to the egg yolks, and the other half to the egg whites.
Corn starch - Torta tenerina uses corn starch in place of flour to bind the ingredients and create a tender texture. See substitutions for notes on alternatives.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the base and sides of a 9 inch (23 centimeter) pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Melt butter and chopped chocolate. Remove from heat to cool down while beating the egg yolks and sugar.
Step 3: Whisk egg yolks and half of granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until sugar is incorporated, and then increase speed to medium high for 3-5 minutes, until mixture reaches ribbon stage. It should be very pale, thick, and doubled in volume. When you lift up the whisk, the mixture should fall down in a "ribbon" without breaking. See here for more cues on ribbon stage.
Step 4: Once chocolate mixture is cooler but still runny, add to egg mixture and mix.
Step 5: Add corn starch and salt. Mix until incorporated.
Step 6: To a clean mixing bowl, add egg whites. Whisk on low until foamy. Slowly pour in remaining sugar. Beat egg whites on medium speed until they have reached firm peaks. When lifting the whisk out of the egg whites, a peak will form but tip to the side.
Step 7: Scoop ⅓ of the egg whites into the chocolate batter and use a spatula to gently fold them into until only a few streaks remain. Add remaining egg whites in two further stages. Gently fold in using the minimum amount of strokes necessary.
It will be much easier to fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter if the chocolate mixture has not begun to cool all the way and set up too much. Work promptly through the steps to ensure the chocolate mixture is still soft.
Step 8: Pour batter into prepared pan and level with a spatula.
Step 9: Bake for 23-26 minutes, until center of cake is just set, and a crust has formed over the top. If you test the center of the cake, it should still be moist. Set on a rack to cool.
Step 10. Once cool, remove springform ring. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of the cake.
Substitutions
Corn starch - You can replace the corn starch with an equal amount of unmodified potato starch. Make sure it's potato starch, not potato flour.
Potato starch is made from the liquid of crushed potatoes. Potato flour is made from the whole potato, and has a strong potato flavor and much more rustic consistency.
Variations
- Espresso - Add a tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the melted chocolate and butter mixture for a rich coffee flavor.
- Cocoa topping - Dust the finished cake with a bit of cocoa powder rather than powdered sugar for an extra dark chocolate kick.
- Orange - Add the zest of a large orange to the batter after beating the eggs and sugar together.
Equipment
Springform pan - Use a 9 inch (23 centimeter) springform pan for best results. The cake is too fragile to invert and flip over onto a platter. Use a springform pan in order to easily remove the sides.
Parchment paper - Line the base and sides of the springform pan with parchment paper.
Love this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating. ★★★★★ Your feedback, suggestions, and adaptations are very helpful to other bakers!
📖 Recipe
Torta Tenerina (Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake)
INGREDIENTS
- 226 grams (8 ounces) dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 113 grams (4 ounces, 8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
- 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar, divided into two equal 75 gram/6 Tablespoon portions
- 24 grams (3 Tablespoons) corn starch, sifted (see substitution notes for alternatives)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- powdered sugar, for dusting on top of baked cake
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius, Gas mark 4) and line the base and sides of a 9 inch (23 centimeter) springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt chopped chocolate and butter for 60 seconds. Stir and continue heating in 15 second bursts until fully melted. Set aside to cool down slightly.226 grams (8 ounces) dark chocolate, 113 grams (4 ounces, 8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add egg yolks and half of granulated sugar. Beat at low speed until sugar is incorporated, and then increase speed to medium high for 3-5 minutes, until mixture reaches the ribbon stage.It should be very pale, thick, and doubled in volume. When you lift up the whisk, the mixture should fall down in a "ribbon" without breaking.4 large eggs, 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- Once chocolate mixture has cooled to a comfortable temperature to touch with your finger, add to egg yolk mixture and mix until incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add corn starch and salt. Mix until incorporated.24 grams (3 Tablespoons) corn starch, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add egg whites.For success beating egg whites, bowl and whisk should be completely clean and grease free.
- Beat on low until foamy. Slowly pour in remaining sugar.
- Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they have reached firm peaks.When lifting the whisk out of the egg whites, a peak will form but curl down to the side.
- Scoop ⅓ of the egg whites into the chocolate batter and use a spatula to gently fold them into until only a few streaks remain.
- Add remaining egg whites in two further stages. Gently fold in using the minimum amount of strokes necessary.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and gently level with a spatula.
- Bake for 23-28 minutes, until center of cake is just set, and a crust has formed over the top. If you test the center of the cake, it should still be moist.
- Set on a rack to cool. Cake will sink (and top may crack a bit) as it cools. This is fine and expected!
- Once cool, remove springform edge. Use a small sieve to sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of the cake. Serve plain or with whipped cream, mascarpone or fresh berries (raspberries, blackberries, figs, etc.).powdered sugar
EQUIPMENT
NOTES
- Be sure to divide the sugar into two equal portions (75 grams / 6 Tablespoons each)
- Half will go into the egg yolks, and the remainder will be added to the egg whites.
- You want to fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate batter when the chocolate mixture is still soft and hasn't set up.
- To achieve this, don't make the chocolate portion too far in advance of the egg whites.
- If your chocolate has set up, gently microwave in 15 second bursts just until it can be stirred easily.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To defrost, unwrap cake and set on a serving platter to defrost at room temperature.
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Nicole says
We had this today and it was so. Freaking. Good. Chocolate heaven!! Will make again!
Kathleen Culver says
Thanks so much for your review, Nicole.
I'm happy you loved it!
Kathleen