3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake (No flour, butter or oil)
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This cottage cheese chocolate cake is soft, creamy and rich. The cake needs just 3 ingredients and doesn’t require any flour, butter or oil. The cake can be made ahead of time and stores well.
This creamy chocolate cake is so easy to make. The texture is similar to cheesecake, but tastes richer because of the addition of chocolate. Using cottage cheese in this cake adds a protein boost and makes the cake a little healthier.
Ingredients
- Cottage cheese
- Dark chocolate
- Eggs
Cottage cheese: The cake uses 4% cottage cheese for a richer, creamier texture.
Dark chocolate: Try to use chocolate with around 60% cocoa. If the cocoa amount is too low, the cake will taste more tangy and may not set well.
Eggs: Eggs are used to create the structure for the cake.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
- The eggs and cottage cheese are blended until smooth.
- The chocolate is melted until smooth. Add the chocolate to the cottage cheese mixture and blend until you have a smooth, uniform batter with no streaks of cottage cheese remaining.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan.
- Bake the cake in a water bath for 1 hour or until set. Allow the cake to fully cool. I also like putting it in the fridge for a few hours which will help firm it up and also help the flavors develop better.
- If desired, you can add frosting, fresh fruit or powdered sugar before serving. The cake does have a little bit of a rustic appearance so my cake is covered with chocolate ganache frosting and chocolate curls.
Texture
This cake has a texture that is a cross between a cheesecake and a mousse cake. It is soft, rich and creamy. It is not too sweet since it is only sweetened with dark chocolate. If you prefer a sweeter cake, you can top with a sweet frosting.
Expert Tips
- It is best to line the cake pan with a single sheet of parchment paper even though this creates a more rustic cake with unevenness around the sides. If you try to line the bottom and sides of the cake separately, the cake will likely break when you try to remove it from the pan.
- The cake is best baked in a one-piece cake pan. If you only have a springform pan, make sure to line the bottom with foil to prevent any water from seeping in during baking.
More Cottage Cheese Cake Recipes
- 3 Ingredient Creamy Cottage Cheesecake
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
- 4 Ingredient Healthier Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
This silky, flourless-style chocolate cake gets all its richness from melted chocolate and blended cottage cheese—no heavy cream, no butter, no extra oil. It bakes up smooth and custardy with a soft, truffle-like center, and chills into the perfect ultra-fudgy slice. It’s the easiest chocolate dessert you’ll make with only three ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (369g) 4% cottage cheese, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (226g) dark chocolate chips, 60% cocoa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray the interior of a 7-inch cake pan with cooking oil spray. Use a single large sheet of parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of the cake pan, doing your best to press the parchment paper into the sides so that the cake edges won’t be too uneven.
- Add cottage cheese and eggs to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Add chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between with a spatula, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Alternatively, you could do this over low heat in a double boiler on the stove.
- Add your melted chocolate to the blender and blend with the cottage cheese mixture until you have a uniform chocolate batter with no streaks of cottage cheese.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Place the cake pan in a slightly larger cake pan (like a 9 inch square pan) and fill the outer pan halfway with water.
- Bake the cake for about 1 hour or until the center is set. The cake will have some cracking along the sides and the center should be puffed and no longer look sunken. Allow the cake to cool. It will sink a little as it cools. Allow the cake to fully cool before removing from the parchment paper. I also recommend placing the cake in the fridge for about 2 hours (or longer) to let it set a little firmer to make it easier to cut.
- You can decorate the cake with frosting before serving. I share the ganache frosting recipe in the recipe notes. My cake is also decorated with chocolate curls. When cutting cake into slices, use a large sharp knife and wipe the blade after each cut. Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Cake pan note: I recommend using a one-piece cake pan and not a springform pan since the cake needs to be baked in a waterbath. If using a springform pan, you will need to cover the bottom with foil to prevent water from seeping in. You do need to use a single sheet of parchment paper because it will be very difficult to remove the cake without it breaking if you just line the sides and bottom of the cake pan separately.
- Cottage cheese note: Try to use a high protein 4% cottage cheese, around 13 or 14 grams of protein per 113 grams serving. I used Amazon Grocery cottage cheese.* You can use Good Culture or Nancy's cottage cheese, but the cake will have a little more tangy flavor.
- I used Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Optional chocolate frosting:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) canned coconut milk or heavy cream
- Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside. Heat coconut milk in a small pot or pan over medium low heat. Heat until simmering. Pour hot coconut milk/heavy cream over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted. Frost over cake. You do not need to use all of the frosting.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting. Estimated nutrition assumes 12 slices. Since the cake is so rich, we do recommend smaller slices, however the cake in the photos is cut into more generous sized slices.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 171kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 142mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, NET CARBS: 12
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!
I made this 3 ingredient chocolate cake last week, and everyone loved it. gave out 15 recipe cards. also made a double batch for a baby shower I attended yesterday. everyone, especially Mama-to-be, was beyond impressed. baby kicked with excitement! not a crumb left.
thank you, Jennifer
Hi Patty! We’re so glad everyone loved this recipe!
Going to try it looks good
Let us know how you like it!
I’ll definitely be making this again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
What if you made this in a mug…like blend up an egg, spoonful of cottage cheese, and some melted choco, and microwaved it for idk maybe 2 minutes….askin for a friend that just wants choco cake now….
We haven’t tested that with this recipe so we’re not sure how that would work! We do have other mug cake recipes you might like.
It’s stunning for a 3 ingredient recipe. can’t wait to try it
Thank you! Let us know how you like it!
It seems so easy & looks very delicious. You know how to make 3 ingredients look stunning ???… just one thing I don’t know how you give the cake a water bath and for how long do i leave it bath & Do I have to leave it bath in hot water until the water is cold …I think I might of missed part of the instructions Sorry so many questions ?
Everything is listed out in the recipe! Place the cake pan in a slightly larger cake pan (like a 9 inch square pan) and fill the outer pan halfway with water. Bake the cake for about 1 hour or until the center is set. The cake will have some cracking along the sides and the center should be puffed and no longer look sunken. Allow the cake to cool.
Mmm I’ve got to try this choc cake.
Let us know how you like it!
I’m thinking these might work in individual custard cups in a water bath. I may try that.
Has anyone tried this?
We haven’t tested that! Let us know how it goes if you do.
Great recipe. Just easy, nutritious, perfect. Thank you
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoy it!
How many eggs recipe doesn’t say
This recipe uses 2 large eggs. You can find the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Can you use a Cuisinart instead of a blender?
As long as the ingredients are blended until completely smooth it should work.
Could you use a 6″ or 8″ pan instead
We haven’t tested this recipe in another pan size but you could give it a try. I would recommend watching the bake time as it may need a little more or a little less depending and may be thinner or thicker depending on which pan you use.