4 Ingredient Healthier Chocolate Cake
This healthier chocolate cake is rich and moist. It only needs 4 ingredients and doesn't contain any flour, refined sugar, dairy butter or oil. All the ingredients are added to a blender and blended until smooth for an easy batter that takes just minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
- 335 g chopped ripe pears (skin on, seeds and core removed), approximately 2 cups of chopped pears, cut into 1 x 1/2 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (60g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 5 tbsp (74ml) maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°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 the pears, cocoa powder, eggs, and maple syrup to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until cake is set in the center.
- Let the cake cool completely and then place it into the fridge for several hours, uncovered. Placing the cake in the fridge will help it firm up and also will allow the flavors to develop better. If desired, frost cake before serving. Store uneaten leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Pear note: This cake works best with very ripe and soft pears. Avoid pear varieties that naturally have a more gritty texture like Asian pears. I like using Bartlett or D'Anjou which are more soft and buttery, but they do still have some slight grittiness. You will taste some of the pear texture in this cake because pears naturally contain stone cells that are hard to break down completely. If you don't like the slight gritty texture of pears, you can make this cake with apples. I left the pear skin on because the pectin helps the cake set up and the skin has a lot of other nutrients. If you use a high speed blender, it should completely blend the pear skin so you don't taste it in the cake.
- If you want to take the extra step of roasting the pears, I recommend cutting them in half and putting them in a pan (skin side down) with about 1/2 inch of water. Then roast them at 425F for about 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the core and seeds and then measure about 335 grams of pear flesh and skin and add to the blender.
- Maple syrup note: Maple syrup is used to add sweetness to the cake. You can reduce the syrup if you want to make the cake healthier.
- I recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder in the cake because it will taste less bitter than natural cocoa powder.
- I used Rodelle Dutch process cocoa powder.*
- You can use a solid one piece 6 inch pan but the cake will be harder to remove. It is easier to remove with a springform pan. I used this 6-inch pan.*
- *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 the cake to be 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 ganache over cake. You can also add chocolate curls.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 101kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 18mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 12g, NET CARBS: 15
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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