Both flourless cakes and tortes are delicious baked goods that are gluten-free and grain-free. However, there are some key differences between the two in terms of ingredients, texture, serving style, and more. Keep reading to learn all about the similarities and differences between flourless cakes and tortes!
What is a Flourless Cake?
A flourless cake, as the name suggests, is a cake made without any flour. Usually, flourless cakes rely on eggs, butter, sugar, and sometimes ground nuts to provide structure and texture. Some classic examples of flourless cakes include:
- Flourless chocolate cake – A rich, fudgy cake made with chocolate, eggs, butter, and sometimes ground nuts like almonds or hazelnuts.
- Flourless lemon cake – A light, moist cake perfumed with lemon and made without flour.
- Flourless almond cake – Made with ground almonds and almond flour for nutty flavor and texture.
Flourless cakes have a dense, rich texture almost like that of a brownie or fudge. They tend to be on the heavier, richer side. The lack of flour means they rely on eggs to provide lift and structure. They are naturally gluten-free and grain-free.
What is a Torte?
A torte is a rich, usually multilayered cake made with little to no flour. Originally from Central Europe like Austria, tortes classically contain ground nuts, chocolate, or dried fruits. Some examples include:
- Sachertorte – An Austrian chocolate cake with apricot jam and chocolate icing.
- Linzertorte – An almond-based cake with raspberry jam filling.
- Dobos torte – A Hungarian cake with delicate caramelized sugar layers.
Tortes rely on egg foam for leavening instead of baking powder or baking soda. The use of nuts, chocolate, and minimal flour gives tortes a very dense, rich texture similar to flourless cakes. However, tortes are usually served in thinner sliced layers showcasing fillings and frostings.
Similarities Between Flourless Cakes and Tortes
Flourless cakes and tortes share a number of similarities that set them apart from traditional flour-based cakes:
- They are gluten-free and grain-free, using no wheat flour.
- They rely on eggs rather than flour to provide lift and structure.
- They often use nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts for flavor and texture.
- They have a dense, rich texture and moist crumb.
- They are naturally dairy-free if made without butter.
- They tend to be on the heavier, richer side compared to flour cakes.
Differences Between Flourless Cakes and Tortes
While flourless cakes and tortes share many traits, there are some key differences between the two:
| Flourless Cakes | Tortes |
|---|---|
| Typically single-layer cakes | Typically have multiple thin layers |
| Served in thick wedges or squares | Served in delicate slices |
| Often feature frosting or glaze | Typically feature fillings like jam, ganache, or buttercream |
| Moist, dense, fudgy texture | Dense but often lighter than flourless cakes |
| Originated from France, Italy, etc. | Originated from Central Europe like Austria |
While flourless cakes are usually single layers with frosting, tortes have delicate stacked thin layers with fillings like jam or buttercream. Tortes also tend to incorporate more nuts and chocolate compared to some flourless cakes. And while both are dense, tortes can be a bit lighter than the fudgy texture of flourless chocolate cakes.
Flourless Cake and Torte Ingredients
Both flourless cakes and tortes rely on eggs, sugar, butter, and nuts instead of traditional wheat flour. Some other common ingredients include:
Flourless Cakes
- Eggs
- Butter or oil
- Sugar
- Chocolate
- Almond meal or almond flour
- Cocoa powder
- Nuts like walnuts or pecans
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Cream cheese or mascarpone
Tortes
- Eggs
- Butter
- Sugar
- Almond meal or ground nuts
- Chocolate
- Dried fruits like apricots or cherries
- Jams, preserves, curds for fillings
- Liqueurs like rum or kirsch
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
As you can see, nuts, eggs, sugar, and butter are primary ingredients in both. Flourless cakes tend to use more chocolate, while tortes incorporate more dried fruits and nuts. Tortes also utilize jam or curd fillings between layers.
Serving Styles
Flourless cakes and tortes are served in different manners:
Flourless Cakes
- Typically served in wedges or squares
- May be topped with frosting, ganache, glaze, or fresh fruit
- Often served slightly warm or at room temperature
- Can be served dusted with powdered sugar or cocoa
- Served with whipped cream or ice cream
Tortes
- Served in delicate sliced portions
- Layers are visible showing off fillings
- May have frosting, glaze, or just a dusting of powdered sugar on top
- Served at room temperature
The individual thin slices of torte showcase the colorful jam fillings. Flourless cakes are served in thicker portions since they are dense, single-layer cakes. Both make an elegant dessert with coffee or tea.
Making Flourless Cakes and Tortes Gluten-Free
Flourless cakes and tortes are naturally gluten-free since they contain no regular wheat flour. However, check labels to ensure other ingredients used are certified gluten-free:
- Use gluten-free baking powder
- Use certified gluten-free oats
- Use gluten-free extracts like vanilla
- Use gluten-free chocolate chips or chocolate
- Use gluten-free nuts from a facility with no cross-contamination
As long as you use all gluten-free ingredients, both flourless cakes and tortes can be prepared gluten-free for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Flourless Cake and Torte Storage
Leftover flourless cakes and tortes should be stored properly to maintain freshness:
- Store completely cooled cakes and tortes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Tortes with fillings may be more delicate so eat within 2-3 days.
- Flourless chocolate cakes can keep for up to 1 week refrigerated.
- Allow stored cakes to come to room temp before serving.
- Cakes and tortes also freeze well up to 2-3 months. Double wrap pieces in plastic then foil before freezing.
The dense crumb of flourless cakes prevents them from drying out too quickly. Just be sure to seal them in an airtight container. Portioning into servings makes it easy to remove slices as needed.
Decorating Flourless Cakes and Tortes
Flourless cakes and tortes make beautiful, elegant desserts for special occasions. Here are some ideas for decorating them:
Flourless Cakes
- Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder
- Top with chocolate ganache, fudge sauce, or fruit glaze
- Top with fresh fruit like raspberries or strawberries
- Drizzle with caramel, chocolate, or fruit puree
- Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate
- Garnish with chocolate curls
Tortes
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Pipe frosting along the edges or on top
- Press chopped nuts into sides
- Decorate with chocolate shavings or cocoa nibs
- Add fruit like raspberries between layers
- Include edible flower garnishes
Both look beautiful simply dusted with powdered sugar or cocoa. Flourless chocolate cakes pair nicely with drizzled chocolate ganache while fruit preserves enhance fruity tortes. Get creative with your favorite toppings!
Popular Flourless Cake and Torte Recipes
Here are some top-rated recipes for delicious flourless cakes and tortes to try baking:
Flourless Cakes
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Flourless Almond Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cake
Tortes
The richness of chocolate flourless cakes is always a crowd-pleaser. Fruity jam tortes also make a nice lighter dessert option. Enjoy baking these gluten-free treats!
FAQs
Can I make a flourless cake without eggs?
It’s challenging to make an eggless flourless cake, since eggs provide the structure without flour. Some options are to use egg replacers like flax eggs, or incorporate banana or avocado for moisture. But eggless flourless cakes will likely be more compact in texture.
Are tortes healthier than cakes?
Not necessarily. While tortes do contain less flour, they still rely heavily on sugar, eggs, nuts, and butter for richness. Some torte fillings like jam or chocolate also bump up the sweetness. Overall, tortes are on par with cakes in terms of calories, fat, and sugar.
Can I make a flourless cake with almond flour only?
Yes, you can make flourless cakes with 100% almond flour. Since almond meal is quite dense, the texture might be more like a nut-based crust. For lighter texture, you can use a combo of almond flour and ground nuts. Reduce eggs slightly to offset the extra moisture from the nuts.
What can I use instead of cake flour in a torte?
Some easy substitutions for cake flour in tortes include: all-purpose flour sifted with cornstarch, two parts almond flour plus one part cornstarch, or one part oat flour plus one part potato starch. For gluten-free tortes, try using all almond flour.
Can I freeze a flourless chocolate cake?
Definitely! The dense crumb makes flourless chocolate cakes perfect for freezing. First let the cake cool completely, then double wrap slices in plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Conclusion
Flourless cakes and tortes make for decadent gluten-free desserts perfect for any special occasion. While both rely on eggs instead of flour, flourless cakes tend to be dense single layers while delicate tortes have multilayered thin slices. Fillings, frostings, fruit, and chocolate provide plenty of ways to customize cakes and tortes. Whip up one of these rich gluten-free treats and enjoy a little luxury!