After 3+ hours of playing in the hot, humid, Florida sun, I’m tired. I sweat about a gallon every 15 minutes and can literally ring out my clothes and hair. Not to mention, this all happens during lunch time. So I’m tired, sweaty, hungry, and grouchy (sorry to my car-buddies).
I grab my packed lunch and snarf down my usual: smoothie, apple, salad, and a rice cake with peanut butter. Plus I chug another gallon of water.
Where does this Paleo cake fit in?
After my 40 minute drive home, I’m hungry again, and now my sweat has dried on to my skin-ew. My bags get thrown down and I race (more like drag myself) to the kitchen to throw together this cake. It’s easy, fast, filling, and delicious. While it bakes I’ll take a shower. No, I am not eating cake with dried sweat sticking to my skin!
~This Cake for one is gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, nut-free, soy-free, corn-free, and sugar-free!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 3 Tablespoons milk-substitute (like almond or coconut milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cherries, chopped
- 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- Optional: Sweetener. 1 Tablespoon (or more) pureed date or pinch stevia powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*.
- Mix together baking powder and coconut flour. Add egg, milk, vanilla, and sweetener (if using) and mix until well combined.
- Stir in chocolate chunks and cherry chunks.
- Grease a ramekin (or oven-safe mug!) and pour batter into dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes. The top may be a bit gooey when you take it out, but it will set while cooling.
- Cool a couple minutes before devouring! You may top with extra chocolate and cherries, a dollop of coconut whipped cream, or a smear of Healthy Chocolate Buttercream
Notes
*Feel free to adjust the sweetener, or do not use, as needed to satisfy your sweet tooth. **If you are not a fan of unsweetened chocolate, substitute with dark chocolate chips or unsweetened carob chips. ***Feel free to add more chocolate chunks or cherry chunks as desired!
Health Benefits:
- Coconut:Β Coconut is widely misunderstood because of itβs high fat content; however, coconutβs saturated fat is made up of medium-chain fatty acids. These medium-chains are easy to absorb and digest, and are converted quickly into energy. This means that the body is less likely to store the medium-chain as fat. Coconut is also a great source of dietary fiber with a whopping 5 grams per oz!
- Chocolate: ClickΒ HereΒ for a post I wrote about the benefits of chocolate.
- Cherries:Β Fresh cherries are packed with antioxidants and beta carotene, which aid in the reduction of heart disease and cancer. They are rich in vitamins A, C, E, potassium, magnesium, iron, folate, and fiber which help prevent memory loss and reduce the risk of diabetes.Β Because of their powerful anti-inflammatory benefits, cherries are said to reduce pain and joint soreness for runners and athletes after workouts.
What do you crave/eat after a hard workout?
This sounds and looks delicious Alex! I love cherries and chocolate together.
Wow you work hard huh! What do I crave? Sometimes nothing, like right now I’m waiting for my appetite to kick in. I usually like cold baked sweet potatoes or cold bananas though! Always with nut butter.
Katie,
Sweet potatoes with almond butter and cinnamon are a fav, too!
This looks soooo good! I wish it wasn’t 730 or i’d make this and chow it now! Having recently started paleo I’m super excited to find yummy desserts (sans sugar and junk!)
After work outs I crave and eat a gigantic protein shake…with TONS of ice so it’s nice and thick!!! I love creating different flavors with different fruits and combos. I usually drink it so fast that I get brainfreeze!! ha ha.
Trisha,
Aww, bummer! I hope you enjoy it if you do make it π
I usually drink a strawberry-lemon smoothie after I work out, too. With frozen strawberries and a splash of fresh lemon juice π Refreshing!
That looks awesome! Nice recipe! What are the chocolate chips in the photographs? They look luscious! π
P.S. I totally feel you on the sweating bit.. why is that? Our bodies must be uber-detoxers! Yeah, that’s it! π
I never crave food after a workout.. my HIIT makes me feel really satiated and my hunger kicks in an hour later.
Kayleigh,
The chocolate chips are actually from my sister’s stash of dark chocolate nestle chips…don’t tell her I stole them for the photo-shh!
And yes, sweating makes me feel really detoxed! I think it is just the darn humidity down here, though!
I love single or small serving recipes. Perfect for a house of two. π After a hard workout, I crave fruit! Lots of fruit!
yum! love chocolate and cherries together
Hmm I’m thinking chicken wings or burritos…haha:P
juju,
Haha….of course…
I’ve just made and eaten this, I think it’s the nicest single serving-type cake I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot! I used 85% chocolate (darkest I can find right now) for the chunks and topped it with a little home-made coconut oil chocolate which melts and turns into frosting – absolutely delicious. Thank you! π
Jenny,
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! What a great compliment π
i love everything about this recipe! super yum!!
Hi Alex,
Do you have any idea for an egg replacement to be used in this and your other wonderful-looking Paleo recipes?
Ahhh Alex! I’ve missed you and it’s been so long! Your pictures are lookin’ great~and this looks like a great recipe! I love making single serving desserts with coconut flour too. I don’t usually make big desserts with it because I end up messing it all up.
Thanks, Ellie! What a sweet comment π And I totally agree with you on the 1-serving thing-at least if you mess it up, it isn’t a huge waste π
how would you adapt this to make a 9×11 cake?
Sara,
Hmmm…That’s a tricky one. I would say to simply multiply the recipe by 6 or something, but I honestly don’t know how much that would be or how well it would turn out with that much surface area. Let me know if you try it, though!
I just did it last night for my bday… I multiplied by 6 & used nibs instead of chocolate. After 1/2 hour @ 350 it was still wet, so up to 375 & probably another 20-30 min. I lost track. It was a little dry but still moist from the cherries. The nibs absorbed moisture & I may have cooked a bit too long. Really great, though, for no grains or sugars!