This chocolate cake is moist and soft. It only needs 4 ingredients and doesn’t require any flour, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The cake stores well and can be made ahead of time.
A slice of chocolate cake on a white plate with a silver fork next to it

This chocolate cake features a fruit that is in season right now, which adds natural sweetness to the cake and keeps it moist.

Ingredients

  • Cocoa powder
  • Plums
  • Coconut sugar
  • Eggs

Cocoa powder: Dutch process cocoa powder is used to give the cake its rich chocolate flavor. Make sure to use Dutch process and not natural cocoa. Natural cocoa is more bitter, acidic and does not have as much of a rich cocoa flavor.

Plums: Plums are in season right now and a great addition to this cake. They add vitamins and nutrients, natural sweetness and flavor to the cake. You will want to use very ripe sweet plums for best results. Most types of plums should work for this cake but I tested the cake using red plums as they are what is most commonly found at the market.

Coconut sugar: Some coconut sugar is added to help sweeten the cake.

Eggs: A combination of eggs and additional egg yolks give the cake structure and add richness to the cake.

How to Make Chocolate Cake

  • Plums (with skin and pits removed) are blended in a blender until they become a smooth puree. Add in coconut sugar, eggs and egg yolks. Blend until smooth.
  • Add in cocoa powder and blend until the batter is uniform in color. Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan.Ingredients blended in a blender and cake batter poured into a cake pan
  • Bake the cake until the middle is set. Allow the cake to cool fully before removing it from the pan. If desired, you can place the cake in the fridge for a few hours which will further firm up the cake and help the flavors develop better.
  • You can also decorate the cake before serving. This cake is decorated with chocolate ganache frosting.

A chocolate cake decorated with chocolate ganache frosting and chocolate curls

Expert Tips

  • This is meant to be a healthier chocolate cake so it will not be as sweet as classic chocolate cake. You can add more sweetness with a rich, sweet frosting.
  • This recipe works best with sweet ripe plums. Sour plums will cause the cake to not be sweet enough.
  • Regular granulated sugar can be used as a substitute for coconut sugar if you don’t need the cake to be refined sugar free.

A side view of a slice of chocolate cake on a white plate
The top view of a slice of chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting

More Cake Recipes

5 from 1 vote

4 Ingredient Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake is soft and moist. It only needs 4 ingredients and doesn't require any flour, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The cake is easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time.
Servings: 8 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (221g) plum puree, skin and pits removed, see note before starting
  • 2 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
  • 3/4 cup (97g) coconut sugar
  • 7/8 cup (75g) Dutch process cocoa powder

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 6-inch round springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom with a parchment round and cut a long strip to line the inner sides of the pan.
  • Add plum flesh to blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed to help everything blend.
  • Add in eggs, yolks and coconut sugar and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Add in the cocoa powder and blend again until the batter is smooth and uniform in color, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and try your best to smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until completely set. The cake will turn very dark in color on the surface, this is normal. The cake should be puffed and lightly cracked on the surface when done and a toothpick inserted should come out clean.
  • Let the cake cool completely before releasing it from the cake pan. The cake will shrink a little and the surface will level as it cools. This cake is very moist and fudgy. I recommend letting the cake set for several hours before removing. You can also place it into the fridge for a few hours to help it set more firm and to help the flavors develop better. If desired, frost cake before serving (optional frosting recipe provided in the recipe notes). Store uneaten leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Plum note: You will need around 5-6 medium plums to yield 221 grams of plum puree. This recipe works best with very ripe sweet plums. I used red plums though other varieties should also work. If the skin of your plums are not easy to remove, you can do a quick blanch to make it easier to remove the skin. You do want to make sure the skin is removed because the skin is very tart. If you are using a scale, measure 221 grams of plum flesh and add it to the blender and blend until smooth. If you don't have a kitchen scale, add all of the plum flesh from your 5-6 plums to your blender. After blending until you have a smooth puree, measure out 1 cup to use for the recipe (use any leftover plum puree for a smoothie or other recipes). If you have a scale, I do recommend measuring with a scale for more accuracy. Adding too much puree can cause the cake to not set.
    • Blanch method for removing skin: Use a small sharp knife and score an "x" in the plum skin at the bottom of each whole plum (cut only the skin and not the flesh). Then cover the plums in a pot of simmering water for about 15 seconds. Remove plums and immediately place them in an ice bath. The skin should then peel off very easily.
  • This recipe uses 2 eggs plus two additional egg yolks. Do not use 4 eggs because it will make the cake too eggy.
  • This recipe works best with Dutch process cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is too bitter. 
  • I used Rodelle Dutch process cocoa powder and Wholesome coconut sugar.*
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • Optional chocolate frosting:
    • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup (2 ounces) canned coconut milk (can substitute with heavy cream if you don't need dairy-free)
    • 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 over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted. Frost over surface of the cake.
    • You can make 1.5 times the frosting if you desire a thicker layer of frosting.
  • Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 129kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 36mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 15g, NET CARBS: 17
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.
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