French Chocolate Fondant Cake (5 Ingredients)

Discover a simple French chocolate fondant cake recipe made with only five basic ingredients. With a warm and gooey texture melting in the mouth, this moist cake is all about chocolate, a chocolate lover's dream.

There is nothing better than a quick and easy chocolate dessert. This is exactly what the chocolate fondant cake brings.

Some occasions call for a fancy-looking dessert, others - for an unforgettable sweet experience. So if you are looking for something memorable, this rich chocolate goodness will surely be the star of your special occasion.

Jump to:

• What is chocolate fondant cake?
• Why you should try this recipe
• Ingredients
• Recipe variations
• How to make chocolate fondant cake
• Expert Tips
• Storing and freezing
• How to serve fondant cake
• FAQ
• Love chocolate cake recipes? Try these next!
• Need to adjust your baking pan size?
• Recipe card
• Comments

Your guests will only need one slice of this dense, dark chocolate fondant cake to be instantly won over.

Get ready for recipe requests - print out a few extra copies of the recipe so everyone can be part of that sweet delight.

What is chocolate fondant cake?

Chocolate fondant cake, or simply fondant cake, is a super moist French cake with a delicate silky and creamy center and a thin crust resembling a meringue.

What is fondant cake meaning? Fondant cake or gâteau fondant means "melting cake" and refers to its creamy texture that melts in the mouth when eaten.

Chocolat fondant cake resembles fondant Baulois, but it is quite different from the dense Moelleux au Chocolate and coulant au chocolat with its liquid center.

Why you should try this recipe

• The chocolate fondant recipe is easy, quick, and made with five simple ingredients.

• It makes the perfect dessert for an ordinary day or a dinner party.

• Rich, velvety, and so chocolatey, it is a cosy dessert to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.

• Chocolate is an essential ingredient in making a chocolate fondant cake. Opt for high-quality 70% dark chocolate.

You can experiment with the chocolate's cacao percentage: less dark chocolate is sweeter, and darker chocolate is bitter. But if you want something extra special and intense - choose rich bittersweet chocolate with 70% cocoa.

• Butter: The recipe calls for unsalted butter, but you can replace it with salted butter for more indulgence.

• Sugar: Use white granulated sugar or replace it with light or dark brown sugar. Brown sugar brings caramel flavor and moisture to the cake. Read more about ingredients that make a cake moist.

• Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature.

• Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, the same as plain flour.

Recipe variations

While the chocolate fondant recipe is straightforward, you can experiment with its ingredients.

• Replace part of AP flour with semi-wholemeal flour and white sugar with blond cane sugar. For a gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with cornstarch.

• Try to use a delicious combination of dark and milk chocolate in a 1:1 ratio.

• Intensify the chocolate flavor and taste by adding a pinch of salt or fleur de sel to the cake batter.

• Discover a beautiful paring of chocolate with coffee: add half a teaspoon of instant coffee to the melted butter and chocolate mixture. For more flavor combinations, download the fruit flavor pairing chart.

How to make chocolate fondant cake

The key to a successful chocolate fondant cake is using high-quality chocolate and respecting the baking and resting time. Despite being easy to make, it isn't a last minute dessert. For pure indulgence, let the cake cool properly.

Preheat the oven to 330°F (165°C). Using softened butter, grease the bottom and the sides of the 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan and line it with parchment paper.

Alternatively, use a cake ring where the base is covered with aluminum foil. Place the cake ring in the middle of the piece of aluminum foil and fold the foil toward the ring.

Then butter and line the bottom and sides of the dish with the parchment as described above (photo 1). Place the prepared ring on a baking tray.

Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces (photo 2) and place in a heat-proof bowl.

Add the butter cut into small cubes, melt in a double boiler or bain-marie, and set aside to cool (photo 3). You can use the microwave with settings at 30-second bursts.

In a separate bowl, place eggs with sugar. Whip with an electric whisk until doubled and frothy for about 5 minutes (photo 4). 

Add the melted chocolate mixture to the eggs and sugar preparation and mix with a rubber spatula (photo 5).

Expert tip: Ensure the chocolate mixture is cooled down to prevent cooking the eggs.

Add the sifted flour and gently mix (photo 6). Pour the fondant mixture into the prepared mold and bake for 22 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Expert tip: When the cake comes out of the oven, it seems undercooked with a slightly wobbly center, which is normal.

Then, refrigerate the cake, still in the mold, for at least 3 hours, unmold it, and transfer it to a serving plate.

Expert tip: If you bake it in a ring, use the baking tray beneath your cake ring when transferring it to the fridge. To unmold, lift the ring up and remove the baking paper.

To serve, bring the cake to room temperature for 1 hour. Then, dust the top of the cake with icing (powdered) sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder if desired.

Expert Tips

1. Make sure to use ingredients at room temperature.
2. Choose a mold with a removable bottom for easy release of the cake. You will have a hard time removing the cake with a regular cake tin.
3. Use an 8-inch (20 cm) pan to make this recipe for the best results. For a smaller or larger pan, recalculate ingredients with this simple cake pan calculator. However, you will need to experiment with the baking time until you obtain the desired texture.
4. Don't overbake the cake. The cake is ready when its center is slightly wobbly.
5. Don't under-bake the cake, either. The authentic fondant cake doesn't have a runny center after slicing it. Add 1-2 more minutes if the cake seems too runny after 22 minutes of baking.
6. To let the cake set well, don't omit the chilling time. It guarantees a more prominent melting texture.
7. Don't unmold the cake when hot. Let it cool in the fridge, then unmold.

Storing and freezing

Store chocolate fondant cake in an airtight container or under a cake dome in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

Can you freeze chocolate fondant cake? You can freeze it in a freezer-friendly box for up to 1 month. To thaw, take it out of the freezer and bring it to the fridge overnight or the counter for a few hours.

How to serve fondant cake

Serve French chocolate fondant cake with a cup of morning coffee, as an afternoon snack, or as a simple dessert after dinner. Rich and very chocolatey, this cake has an ultra-melting texture that pairs well with the following:

• homemade whipped cream
• French Chantilly cream
• vanilla custard (crème Anglaise)
• red fruit coulis
• vanilla ice cream
• fresh strawberries and other berries

FAQ

Love chocolate cake recipes? Try these next!

• French Chocolate Cake
• Royal Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Raspberry Yule Log
• Dark Chocolate Terrine

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.