4 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Cake (No Flour, Eggs, Dairy, Butter or Oil)
This no bake chocolate cake has a rich, creamy, soft cake layer and sits on a firm crust. The cake needs just 4 ingredients and doesn’t require any flour, eggs, dairy, butter or oil. The cake doesn’t require any baking and can be made ahead of time.
This no bake chocolate is similar to a torte-type of cake. It has a soft, creamy cake layer and a firmer crust layer. The cake also uses applesauce and pecans, giving it some Fall flavors.
Ingredients
- Applesauce
- Dark chocolate chips
- Dates
- Pecans
Applesauce: The cake layer uses unsweetened applesauce. When the applesauce is mixed with the dark chocolate, it becomes a soft and creamy. You can use store bought or homemade applesauce.
Dark chocolate chips: Make sure to use dark chocolate that contains at least 60% cocoa. Anything less than 60% may cause the cake to be too soft and not set enough. If you need the cake to be dairy-free, make sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips.
Dates: Medjool dates are used in the crust layer. In addition to adding caramel notes and sweetness, the dates help to bind the pecans to form a crust.
Pecans: Pecan halves are crushed in a food processor until they become small crumbs. You can also substitute with walnuts.
How to Make No Bake Chocolate Cake
The pecans are first pulsed in a food processor until they become smaller pieces. Add the dates and continue to pulse until the pecans become the size of crumbs and they are evenly mixed in with the dates. If you pinch some of the mixture it should bind together.
Transfer the mixture to your prepared cake pan and press it firmly across the bottom to form a crust. Place the crust into the freezer to allow it to firm up.
Melt the chocolate until smooth. Stir in the applesauce until it is fully and evenly incorporated. Pour the chocolate over the crust. Place into the fridge for several hours or overnight to allow the chocolate to set. Once set, you can cut the cake with a large sharp knife. You can also add frosting to the cake if desired before serving. This cake is frosted with chocolate ganache.
Expert Tips
- This cake can also be made without the crust layer but I liked the added textures and flavors.
- You can also make a thicker crust layer if you prefer.
More No Bake Chocolate Cake Recipes
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Pear Cake
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Zucchini Cake
4 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup (108g) pecan halves
- 1/2 cup (88g) pitted Medjool date halves, or more as needed, see note
- 2 3/4 cups (443g) dark bittersweet chocolate chips with at least 60% cocoa, see note before starting
- 1 1/2 cups (357g) unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
Instructions
- Spray the interior of a 7-inch springform pan with cooking oil spray. Line the bottom with a parchment round. Also line the sides with long strips of cut parchment paper.
- Add pecans to food processor and pulse a few seconds to break them up to smaller pieces. Add the dates and continue to pulse until the pecans become the size of crumbs and the dates are evenly mixed into the pecan pieces. If you squeeze some of it, it should stick together. If the mixture is not sticking enough, you can add more dates as needed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it firmly into the bottom of the pan to make a crust for the cake. Place the cake pan into the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm up.
- 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 the applesauce to the chocolate. Make sure your applesauce is room temperature before adding, otherwise it may cause the chocolate to seize. Whisk until the applesauce is fully incorporated into the chocolate. It's okay if the mixture looks a little grainy from the applesauce. The inside of the cake will still be very smooth. See photos in post for reference. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Put the cake in the fridge to set, around 4-6 hours or overnight. Once cake is set, carefully release it from the cake pan and peel off the parchment paper. If desired, you can decorate the cake with frosting or fresh fruit before serving. The frosting I used is in the recipe notes.
- Cut the cake with a large sharp knife. I recommend small slices because the cake is very rich. Store uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- Dates note: This recipe works best with a fresh bag of dates because they will be softer. I used Joolie's Medjool Dates.* I prefer using whole dates and breaking them in half and removing the seeds. I find that whole pitted dates tend to be more firm and don't have as much soft flesh.
- I use this 7-inch springform cake pan.*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- I used Kirkland pecan halves.
- Dark chocolate note: Make sure to use dark chocolate chips (sometimes labeled bittersweet chocolate chips) that contain around 60% cocoa. Anything less than 60% may cause the cake to not set. It is okay to be a little higher than 60%, but your cake will not be as sweet and may set slightly firmer. If you need the cake to be dairy-free, make sure to choose dairy-free dark chocolate. Also make sure your dark chocolate chips contain lecithin. Chocolate without lecithin may seize and harden once you add in the applesauce.
- Optional ganache frosting:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) canned coconut milk or heavy cream (if you don't need the cake to be dairy-free)
- Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside. Heat coconut milk or heavy cream 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 the surface of the cake. You do not need to use all the frosting.
- Estimated nutrition does not include frosting. While the photos in this post show the cake cut into very generous-sized slices, this is a very rich cake, so I recommend small slices, around 12-14 per cake.