I have been hesitant to post all my numerous chocolate recipes because I always eat 100% dark chocolate! The majority of people don’t have a taste for the bitterness of this dark of a chocolate, but I think the bitterness makes it the best! 100% dark chocolate does not have any room for milk or sugar, just chocolate. This makes the flavor intensely dark.
Well, I have finally decided to share a few of my chocolate recipes, even though most people won’t like them. For you sugar eaters out there who can’t handle the bitterness of 100% dark, please feel free to add a few stevia drops or a drizzle of honey to this recipe.
Grain-Free Bitter Chocolate Cake for One
~Like I said above, please feel free to add a drizzle of honey or some liquid stevia drops to the recipe before baking so that it may satisfy your liking of chocolate. This cake is meant to serve one person, but feel free to double, triple or quadruple the recipe. The cake is gluten free, dairy-free, and of course, sugar-free!
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I like using Hershey’s Dark cocoa because it has a great, intense flavor)
- 2 Tablespoons of squash puree, like pumpkin, sweet potato, or butternut squash
- splash of vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- water
- Optional: 100% dark chocolate bar (I used Baker’s)
Preheat oven to 375*. Mix all of the above ingredients together. Then add a splash of water until it reaches the consistency of a thick pudding. Pour batter into a mini bread pan or a muffin tin (It makes about 4 muffins). If using, chop the 100% dark chocolate bar over the top of the batter. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
More Ideas: Try adding mint extract to the batter to make a mint chocolate cake. Also, use different topping like nuts to personalize the cake to your liking.
I made this cake last night while I was watching Tim Allen’s Santa Clause.
You definitely know it’s Christmas time when ABC starts showing a Christmas-Related movie every night! What’s on tonight while I bake myself another Bitter Chocolate Cake?
This recipe is a shout-out to those who asked for more grain-free recipes; those who like bitter chocolate cake more than the sweet kind; those who love bitter chocolate; and of course, all others who enjoy chocolate for their taste and health benefits!
Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:
- Would you like me to post more of my chocolate recipes? I have tons of them ranging from grain-free pancakes, to mousses, to puddings, to breakfast parfaits.
- Have you tried 100% dark chocolate yet?? If not, then DO IT! I’m begging you to! Pick up some Baker’s chocolate squares or a Ghiradelli bar in the baking aisle of your grocery store. When you try it, roll it around in your mouth and actually taste it. Don’t go by your first bite. Take another bite and think about chocolate-not the other chocolate-flavored impersonators out there!
- Last question-I promise! What do you think of all the holiday movies showing at this time of year? Personally, I love having an upbeat, sometimes corny movie to watch every night. I love all the Christmas films because they put me in such a great mood! There is no way that I could choose a favorite because there are so many good ones out there!
I’m going to try 100% dark chocolate, just for you! 🙂 I have a HUGE sweet tooth, so I should probably start at 70% and work my way up! But this cake looks awesome, I may need to add some honey, though!
I still haven’t tried the grain-free bread you posted a while back, but I’m planning to when I get the chance!
I think you should definitely share all your chocolate recipes! I’d love to try the grain-free pancakes!
The Christmas season is the only time of the year when I wish we had cable, I’m missing all my favorite holiday specials! 🙁 I love The Santa Clause, such a fun movie! Polar Express is a favorite of mine, too!
Try it!!! But like I said, don’t go off your first try, try it again! But since you have a sweet tooth, it would be a good idea to work yourself up!
You should rent those $1 from Redbox if you have one buy you! They are only a dollar a night, and they have a lot of movies in them 🙂
I have tasted 100% chocolate a number of times. My dad is belgian so I was raised to be a chocolate snob. In all honesty, I’m not a fan of it eating it plain. In recipes it works great but I just dont like it on its own. I need SOME sweetness to cut back on the bitterness. I say if you hoarding chocolate recipes in your head, spill em! I want to see them!
Haha! I will spill….please don’t hurt me, Eden! Hehe…
Yes, please post more chocolate recipes! Everything that you listed sounds delicious, and I would love more ideas for incorporating dark chocolate and cocoa into some healthy recipes. I’m excited to try this cake!
Yummmm!!! Do you think I could sub egg whites for the egg? Not so much because I dont’ want to use an egg, but because I only have egg whites 😉 It looks really good! I want to try this so bad!
Egg white would work perfectly! Tell me how it turns out 🙂 Now the cake isn’t even 120 calories, it is like 90 calories for that huge cake!
Dark chocolate trumps milk chocolate any day– I say bring on the recipes! 🙂
Oh man Alex, you are too smart. Do you think this would work if I substituted the egg with a flax egg? I sincerely hope so!! I have tried 100% dark chocolate, and I really, really like it. Sometimes I prefer 88-90%, but other times I am perfectly content with 100%. I also typically add cocoa powder to my oatmeal and don’t sweeten it at all. It’s sooo intense and amazing. 😀
YES, please post more bitter chocolate and grain-free recipes! That would be amaaaaazing. 😀
Yeah, I am sure it would work! It might be a bit more crumbly, but who cares? It is an individual cake, right?
Bitter chocolate=heaven 😉
Just wanted to let you know that I made your bitter chocolate cake this morning… for breakfast. 🙂 I used a flax egg (1.5 T ground flax + 3 T water) instead of a real one and it worked perfectly. I ended up baking it for about 25 minutes and it was awesome. It reinforced my love of 100% dark chocolate. I also loved it with peanut butter. 🙂
YAY!!! I am so happy 🙂 I love when people try (and like) my recipes!!! It definitely amazing with pb!!! Last night I made it and topped it with some agar-based strawberry mousse 🙂
ok THIS is what im talking about YUMMY.. thanks for sharing this cake- there is no doubt ill try it!
I love Baker’s 100% dark chocolate! I am definitely going to try this and I think I’ll personalize it by adding cacao nibs on top too. 🙂 I also hesitate to post some recipes since I think they may not be sweet enough for most people. You’ve definitely got one reader who would love to read about all of your unsweetened chocolate recipes! I look forward to it (and I can’t wait to try this cake)!
I love all the holiday movies and music!
Yay! I’m glad a few more people like 100% dark chocolate! Now I know I’m not loony 😉
Post away. 🙂 I still haven’t tried 100% dark chocolate but want to. Next time I am at the store I will pick some up.
My favorite Christmas movie is The Santa Clause. Both 1 and 2 are good but I have not seen the 3rd one yet. I like the 25 days of Christmas movies but I do not watch all of them. It is nice to have the option of watching a Christmas movie at night.
Pick it up, girl! Try it!
I’ve seen the 3rd movie, and it was really good, too! Probably not as good as the 1st one. A little “darker?” if I can say that! Just has a bit more “evil” person thrown into it!
AHHGGG thank you times one million! Sugar-free chocolate recipe… FINALLY. My savior has come 🙂 Please post more!
VEGirl
You are one grain- free bread goddess!! 🙂
I just roasted a giant beast of a pumpkin, now I have a surplus of squash. Definitely make this in the future when I have time 🙂
MORE chocolate!
This looks great! I guess I’m not an intense enough chocolate eater to eat is the 100% straight up. I’m a wimp, I”d definitely have to add some agave. I usually eat 85%, which most people I know in real life think that is too dark, in the blogging world it’s nothing 🙂
1) Yes!
2) No, but I really should at least try it.
3) Love it! I espicially love Elf!
Go ahead and try it with some agave-it is so quick and easy! And yummy!!!!! And you are totally right about people thinking 85% is too dark. Some people think 50% is too dark!!! They don’t even know what chocolate tastes like!
I LOVE Elf 🙂 He is hilarious!
yes to all.
love dark bitter chocolate, even though some times I cave and eat pure crap.
love grain free recipes….keep em coming!
and the cheesier the holiday movie the more I love it.
we just watched the Grinch!
xo
I’d love to see more chocolate.
I have tried to embrace the Bakers…and this inspires me to have another go out it just out of the wrapper.
That being said, any recipes can always be ad-libbed for those of us who want to add some sweet stuff, be it agave nectar or splenda or whatev.
~Missy
Exactly! And it seems as though many people like to see bitter chocolate recipes, so you will be seeing more 😉 trust me!
YES! – Recipes please 🙂 Your a top-chef.
I LOVE Holiday movies. There was nothing on ABC here last night except for football :(. But I did find “Love Actually” on a station 🙂
My favorites are definitely the “campy” ones though. Love The Santa Clause, I hope they show it on TV soon.
I got your comments on my blog! They just had to be approved. Thank you so much and hope to see you ‘around’ 🙂
I LOVE dark, dark chocolate. Just the chocolatey flavor that I crave.
So… Please post more! (:
I love the recipe for one!
Post as many chocolate recipes as you can muster!! Thanks for the choco shout out! I bet I would like your bitter chocolate things… Okay, maybe I would need to add a littleee bit of sugar, but I can definitely appreciate the true taste of chocolate!
Yeah, that’s good! Come on, girl!!! You can handle the intensity of the bitter chocolate!!!!
that sounds so festive- making the cake while watching a classic Tim Allen Christmas movie! i only wish i had a tv near the kitchen- that would be awesome. actually i could just load it up on my computer and bake this!! <3
ps. you won my giveaway!!! <3
Yeah, mine isn’t right by my kitchen, but I like to play Christmas music while I bake!
I won the giveaway??!!! I am so ecstatic!
Yum! I love unsweetened chocolate too! I will have to try this because I crave chocolate quite often! Thanks for sharing the recipe even though most people think its bitter!
This is one of the best mini-cake recipes I’ve seen on the internet. I love that it doesn’t have a ton of weird ingredients and processed food. Keep posting!
I am so glad you like it! What a great compliment 🙂
I made this last night. You are my new hero.
Awww! Thanks, Katie! That means a lot to me. I love when people try (and like) my recipes.
No apologies needed here! Can’t wait to try your cake!
YUMMMYY!!! I LOVE 100% cacao…PLEASE post more chocolate recipes 🙂 I think all the true chocolate flavor lovers will be very happy and inspired.
WHoohooo…have you tried Dagoba? They do a wonderul 100% baking chocolate.
Cheers,
Asha
I didn’t even know Dagoba made 100% dark chocolate!!!! Where do you get it??
This looks great! I’m out of cocoa powder- horrors! When I get some, I’m making this 🙂
Yes, yes more chocolate recipes….PLEASE!
More grain-free recipes please! I love dark chocolate, and sometimes feel like I’m missing out (on my gluten-free, dairy-free diet). Recipes like this look delish, and I can enjoy them. Now I’m off to pick up a 100% chocolate bar…thanks!
girl, bring on more more dark chocolate recipes…this looks amazing. i converted to Dark chocolate years ago and I am never going back. Sold.
love your blog..found through my good friend heather Demetra…looking forward to reading more!!
This is my new favorite breakfast! Thanks for sharing the dark chocolate love!
I love holiday movies, but this year I’ve been too busy to watching any. (Maybe next week when I’m on vacation.)
I’ve tried the Bakers Unsweetened chocolate, and I don’t like the texture–it is too dry and chalky. Is that true for all 100% chocolate?
No, I don’t think it is true for all chocolates. Ghiradelli makes a 100% chocolate and it is not chalky at all. Also, I think it helps if you melt the chocolate a bit!
This looks amazing. I think this I’d lunch today!
Yay, I finally made this last night! I made 5 muffins and had to add a tad of maple syrup, as I’m not used to the full-on bitterness of the unsweetened cocoa. BUT, it was still soooo good and I can’t wait to use less and less syrup 🙂 Also added some shredded coconut and raw cacao nibs and topped with coconut butter. YUM!
YAY! I am so glad you made it (and liked it!) I love it when people make my recipes 😉
I had some today for bfast, too and put some coconut butter on it! Chocolate+coconut=heaven 🙂
I made these and put some mini marshmallows on the top at the end of the cooking. Amazing!!
Umm of course we want more recipes, haha! That shouldn’t have even been a question. 😉
can’t wait to try out your cake!
Yes! I love chocolate! more!! I’m not sure – this looks so good but I picture it being too moist and not breadlike for me 🙂
Great blog! The Santa Clause is the greatest christmas movie ever! I watch it every christmas eve without fail!
I loved this! I used a flax egg. It was delicious. I made 2 muffins from your recipe. I just doubled it and made 4 more for the week!
Yay!!! I am so glad you liked it 🙂 I have heard of some people using flax eggs, and the cake worked out well 🙂 Thanks for telling me! I love when people make my recipes 🙂
LOVED this recipe!! I topped it with banana slices halfway through eating this and it added the perfect sweetness to it without being overly so. Thank you so much for the recipe! 😀
Thanks so much for posting this recipe! This tastes phenomenal!! I couldnt believe it, I thought it would be like those dry tasting protein muffins, but NUH UH this tasted like a rich chocolate mousse, and I ate it with a spoon. It almost has a cakey consistency but it tastes, looks moist! Mine had a spicy kick to it bc instead of plain dark choc cocoa, I used Dagoba(sp?) hot chocolate mix w/ cayenne pepper! It was the perfect amount of sweetness and I could not believe the chocolate flavor I tasted, it was like a piece of dark chocolate melting in my mouth! Everyone has got to try this, and its SO fast&easy to make! You are a genius=]
Your cake looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it. I love dark chocolate!
Just curious – I read that you stay away from sugar. But why grains as well? I can see problems with most grains, or if your gluten-free, etc. But what about alternative “grains” – like Almond Flour, or Flaxseed Meal…aren’t these essentially just the nuts and seeds ground? Thanks 🙂
Well….I was having a whole bunch of stomach problems, so I decided to go off any troublesome foods for a whiles-including grains. I do eat gluten-free grains like rice and millet, but I have decided to go off of gluten. I love using gluten free flours, but sometimes they just aren’t available, and I love challenging myself to make recipes without grains 😉 Plus, certain flours can be extremely expensive, so I would rather just not use them! Thanks for the question!
Looks delicious!! I’m definitely going to try it.
My family thinks I’m so weird, but I adore 100% chocolate! It is SO good!
I just made this and absolutely loved it!!! SO GOOD!!! This will definitely be a regular with me! 🙂
YAY! I am so glad you liked it 🙂 That makes me feel so rewarded 🙂
I don’t know how I missed this post originally, but I have been seeing this pop up all over the blogs and I MUST try it!!! 🙂
Yes! You have to try it!
This looks so good. I love dark chocolate the more pure and bitter the better. 100% is just amamzing
Made it, loved it, but drizzled it with honey. 🙂
I’m a little late posting this! Just found your wonderful website thanks to HEAB’s blog.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE dark chocolate…unsweetened baking chocolate, cacao, cacao nibs….you get the picture! Can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow.
Oh, I almost forot….Yes, please post more of your dark chocolate recipes, please.
Thank you!!
Debby
Just made this – delicious! I added 1 tsp of stevia and baked the batter in 8 mini muffin cups. I made a “frosting” with 2 tsp of natural peanut and a shake or two of cinnamon thinned with a little water & vanilla. Sooooo good!! Thank you for posting —
I’m so glad you liked it! That frosting sounds amazing, too! I like making pb frosting with a little water, but I have never tried it with cinnamon (only cocoa powder)…sounds too good!
This was a bit too intense for me… I love dark chocolate but I’m not quite prepared for 100% yet 😛 I at least managed to finish mine though. It has a wonderful aftertaste.
Haha….yeah….100% is extremely dark if you aren’t used to it 🙂 But kudos to you for finishing it!!! You can make it non-bitter if you add some honey or stevia 🙂
I love 100% dark chocolate, and I know what you mean about others not being able to handle it at first. I made a bread budding that used 85% chocolate, I think I’m going to try it next with 100% dark.
I also used the shaving of dark chocolates and topped my oatmeal with it, makes it really creamy too without any added sugar.
Thanks for this recipe Alex!
OoooooH! I want to try that chocolate bread pudding recipe! Is it on your blog??? I think I have seen it on your blog so many times, and HAVE WANTED TO TRY IT!!! but…it wasn’t gluten or sugar-free….any ideas on changing it to fit? I’m sure it is so good, though!!!
I would suggest using gluten free bread for the recipe and also subtituting unsweetened chocolate for the chocolate chips. Maybe add banana or some sort of puree to add thickness to the mix.
I am making this recipe as we speak. My sister was making brownies from a box and I wante to eat chocolate too and I thought of this recipe, but I tweaked it a little and added liquid egg whites. Waiting for it to cool right now. So excited to taste it.
Yeah, that is a good idea!
Let me know how your cake tastes!!!! I hope you like it 😉
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE 100% cacao bars – current fav is Hershey’s Unsweetened Baker’s Bars! Keep the recipes coming! I am glad I found your blog (found it through HEAB’s blog).
OMG Hershey’s sells an unsweetened baking bar???? Where did you find it??!!!1
They sell it at my local grocery store (I live in WI). You may be able to do a product locator search on the hershey’s website. I hope you can find one at a store near you. I am hooked! I did a taste comparison on Hershey’s vs. Bakers vs. Ghirardelli, and the Hershey’s was absolutely the best!
Thanks! I will look it up 🙂
Yum, I’m so excited about this…. it’s currently baking in my oven right now! Thanks for the recipe!
OooooO!!! I hope it turns out well for you 🙂 Let me know!
I tried this tonight, and made two small cakes out of it. OMG. So easy and so rich! A dollop of coconut butter frosted mine, and I added a drizzle of date molasses and real whipped cream to my fella’s.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! It was perfect, and scratched my chocolate itch just right. 😀
I am so glad you liked it, Kaz!!! Thanks for trying it 🙂 🙂 🙂
is it possible to make this cake in the microwave? it looks delicious but i don’t have access to an oven where i’m living this summer 🙁
Hey Kirstin!
I actually don’t have a microwave! But….A few others have tried it in the microwave and told me it works-so go ahead!
I’ve made this the last two nights in the microwave and its delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
This was so good! I also tried your sugar-free brownies the other day. It’s sort of surprising to me that I love the taste of unsweetened chocolate! I never considered myself quite that hardcore. 😉 Thanks for the awesome recipes!
Hey Jordan!
So glad you liked the brownies 😀 And unsweetened chocolate is suprisingly tasty, no?
I was wondering, how many cals for this recipe? And do you reckon I should add a little stevia to make it sweeter or it would be just be bitter?
It is only 120 calories for the whole cake! And yes, if you aren’t used to bitter chocolate, I would add stevia. It is extremely intense, but I like it that way!
Sorry! Just realised that your post answers my stevia question
This recipe is so ridiculously exciting to me that I am going to the store tomorrow to get the ingredients and bake this super-cake. Wow.
Oh my, I am so glad that I found your site! I was assuming from the title sugar-free that it would be about splenda or equal or something like that!
I have fructose malabsorption and can’t process/digest sugars such as too much sugars, foods that have more fructose than glucose (lots of fruits such as apples and watermelon), bananas are ok and I try to eat with some kind of protein. Also wheat and dairy (lactose) and sugar alcohols. I’m still exploring foods I can handle but it is not alot of sweets that’s for sure.
I am really excited to try this cake as it is stuff I have here and all things I can safely eat. I am going to go through all your recipes and go to town experimenting 😉 .
Hi Christy!
Glad you found my site. It always annoys me when people say things are “sugar-free” but they add tons of artificial substitutes. You will find none of that on my blog! I also don’t use any honey, agave, or syrups. Just whole food. And no dairy, sugar alcohols, or gluten, either. I hope you find some good recipes that work with your diet!
Have a great day!
Oooh! It just looks soooooo yummy! Gonna have to try subbing applesauce for the pumpkin puree though, since I’m out – do you think it’ll work?
I definitely think it will work! I have even used a mashed banana before and it worked well. It might taste a bit like apple-chocolate, though? Depends if the apple flavor is very strong. Let me know how it goes!
Absolutely wonderful recipe – never thought of substituting with apple sauce – gonna try that tonight.
This looks great! I calculated the calories based on ingredients I was using and got 193 – did you count the cals in the vanilla? And do you think I could be contributing extra cals based on the cocoa powder I’m using (it’s not dark)? either way, that is a big cake whether it be 120 or 200 cals! Thanks 🙂
Hi Laurel!
Did you use extra ingredients? Here is how mine broke down: 1 egg (63 calories)+1/4c cocoa powder (48 cal)+ 2 T pumpkin (10 cal)=121.
If you add extra chopped nuts or baker’s bar on top, it will add more calories. The vanilla has minimal calories, so I didn’t really use it in calculation (maybe 2 calories per teaspoon?)
Hope this helps!
Ah yeah, my cocoa powder has more calories than yours, but just a bit. The culprit was using canned pumpkin puree in my estimate, when in real life I used organic puree straight from a real pumpkin. I ended up doubling your recipe to make it fit in my small silicon cake pan (about 4×9) even though it looked to be of similar size to the one in your photo.
Doesn’t matter though, got that puppy in the oven right now and I can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Haha…yeah, oh well! I hope you enjoy it 😀
I’ve been making a double batch of this (um, I eat a ton of cocoa) but adding Splenda to it for months. I absolutely loathe the taste of Stevia. I haven’t been adding pumpkin, though – does that sweeten it up a bit? My goal is to get off Splenda by New Year’s. Give me the confidence I need! *scared cry* I’ve been thinking of starting to buy Truvia, instead, but it’s REALLY expensive. Hrmph.
So glad you like it, Amanda! The pumpkin just gives it extra body. Some have told me that mashed banana instead of pumpkin makes it sweeter, but I have yet to try this.
I found this recipe from pure2raw and finally got to try it! I used cocoa only and didn’t add any extra sweetener (not a big fan of artificial sweeteners or sugar) so it was a bit bitter for me, but I did like the texture, and I couldn’t feel more awesome that I was indulging on a HEALTHY CAKE. I want to try it again with some ripe bananas or sweetener.
Hi Gina,
Yes, it does take a bit to get used to. It is amazing what your taste buds can like once sugar-intake is reduced, though!
this is seriously perfect! loved it and it was so easy and simple! low in cals carbs sugar and gluten free! i would love to see more “grain free cake for ones” that dont use any flours or oats with the similar nutrition stats in the future!! LOVED IT
Sammy,
So glad you enjoyed it!!! I’ll look into making a couple more varieties. A few I can think of at the top of my head:
Use pb flour instead of cocoa powder.
Use coconut flour instead of cocoa powder.
Try adding protein flour instead.
Use banana instead of pumpkin
I have made it with carob instead of cocoa, and it is tasty!
Do you think that I could sub in mashed banana for the squash puree?? Hmm?
Nevermind! just saw the comment directly above mine! haha 🙂
No offense but this is the worst cake I’ve ever eaten. I even put honey in it and we used regular coco powder. My husband couldn’t even swallow the bite he took. I’m trying to find some way to salvage this thing.