Flourless, sugar free, extra dark chocolate cake with paleo and keto options. For when you want to eat healthy but also want to eat an entire cake yourself.

The story

I suppose this is my obligatory “Valentine’s dessert”, the one every good baking blogger creates to accompany that day of love.

Except I don’t like Valentine’s Day.

If you’re still reading, it’s true. I used to like it, back when it meant you try to bring the cutest cards and treats, of which everyone gets one. Back when it was about candy and being extra nice to the people you love.

Somewhere along the way, it became a day that just made me feel sad. When I was single, I felt left out or pitied as I watched everyone’s showy gifts and date nights. If I happened to be dating someone and actually got to partake in the day, it felt tacky and not at all as wonderful as I’d imagined. None of the commercialized celebrations were really me. And don’t get me started on how it feels to watch students receive giant arrangements of long stem roses that get delivered while I’m trying to teach.

Even now, approaching 6 years of marriage with a toddler, I’m more excited for our family dinner and cute outfits for my daughter than I ever was for some big Valentine’s date. I guess it’s freeing to do what I want and not feel the need to live up to someone else’s idea of love.

Now that I’ve thoroughly insulted this holiday, let me tell you about my Valentine’s Day cake…

I feel like Valentine’s is unfairly timed. It’s basically a candy holiday, but it comes 6 weeks after we’ve all re-dedicated ourselves to healthy eating. So I chose a cake that’s rich and chocolatey but still kinda sorta decently healthy. It’s flourless and sugar free, and is paleo if you use ghee instead of butter. It has an optional splash of liqueur, which is Valentine’s-y, right? And it was made to pair with my champagne berry coulis and fresh whipped cream.

Can’t get much better than that, right?

Tips for this recipe

Substitute ghee to make it truly paleo

From what I’ve researched, honey in moderation is still paleo, but you could try subbing 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or another paleo granulated sugar) plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup for the honey. As for the ghee, that’s a more straightforward swap that makes this more in line with the paleo diet.

Sift/whisk the dry ingredients

Since there’s no flour, over mixing isn’t as big a worry. Still, you don’t want to lose too much of the air you beat in with the butter, so sift the cocoa and whisk the almond flour in a separate bowl to break up lumps before stirring it in.

Sub monk fruit or other sweetener to make it keto

Since this cake is so simple, it’s easy to tailor it to your dietary needs or preferences. The only thing that isn’t keto is the honey. There are multiple keto options out there, including monk fruit (which I found at Costco!). However, you may need to increase the liquid slightly, so experiment at your own risk.

Use a topping to lighten up the deep, dark chocolate flavor

This is not for the feint of heart. It is a true dark chocolate flavor with minimal sweetness. I did that on purpose, because I knew it would pair well with the brightness of my berry coulis and whipped cream. If you’re not able to drizzle sauce and dollop fresh whipped cream, you could use a berry cake filling and stabilized whipped cream. However, a chocolate glaze or ganache would make this a decadent death by chocolate cake. A simple pairing with vanilla buttercream would make a rich but balanced-in-sweetness combination. Marshmallow buttercream would make this a dark hot chocolate style cake. Or, for over-the-top richness, pair with the peanut butter frosting and chocolate ganache in this OMG cake for a Reese’s cake. Then die of happiness.

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

Print

prep time: 15-20 minutes
cook time: 25-35 minutes
total time: 55 minutes

Servings: 6-8 slices

Ingredients:

3 ounces (85g) baking chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
4 ounces (113g) butter or ghee, at room temperature for 1 hour
¼ cup (25g) cocoa powder, sifted
⅔ cup (226g) honey
3 large eggs
1 ounce dark liqueur (can sub 1 tablespoon vanilla extract plus 1 tablespoon (21g) extra honey)
⅛ teaspoon (1g) fine ground sea salt
1 cup (112g--weight could vary by brand, so check the label) almond flour
optional: one batch champagne berry coulis and whipped cream to serve

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325F/165C. Grease an 8” cake pan or springform pan with butter or baking spray. Line with parchment paper or my new favorite--silicone round cake liners!
Melt the chocolate. Place chocolate in a small, heatproof glass bowl. Heat 1-2 inches water in a medium saucepan that will allow about half the glass bowl to sit on top of it so that the chocolate is “in” the pan. Once the water is boiling, reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat and place the glass bowl with the chocolate on top of the pan. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Cream butter, honey, and cocoa in a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer (or with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer) on medium-high until lightened in color, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bowl at least twice while beating. Letting it get lighter is key, as it means you’ve beat air into the batter, which is necessary without a leavening agent. So don’t cut corners here!
Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low to avoid splashing then increasing to medium for about 30 seconds until fully incorporated. Add liqueur (or vanilla--the extra honey for this option should have gone in with step 3). Beat on medium until incorporated.
Whisk almond flour and salt in a small bowl to break up any lumps. Stir into batter or beat on low just until combined.
Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. It should be a similar consistency to boxed cake mix. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely in pan (or at least until the edges pull away from the pan, indicating it has set). Serve with one of the suggested toppings above (or eat the whole thing with a fork right out of the pan...no judgment here!).

Enjoy!