If you learn how to make one dessert from this blog (or from any website for that matter), it needs to be this one-minute, single serving, you’d-never-guess-healthy, perfectly fluffy and moist, indulgent-tasting chocolate cake. The cake is the same recipe I’ve been obsessing over for years, but with a twist on the frosting using butterscotch chips, cinnamon, and espresso in place of chocolate chips. I hadn’t tinkered with the recipe in ages because I never imagined something could challenge the reigning single-serving chocolate cake with its chocolate cream cheese frosting. But then I got my hands on Lily’s new butterscotch chips, and this warm, sweet and buttery, caramely cream cheese butterscotch glaze/frosting happened. It’s just as simple to make (in seconds!) and out of bounds in flavor. 
Simply mix together the wet + spices:
- 2 tsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp neutral oil (I use almond oil or avocado oil)
- 2 Tbsp milk (1% or higher)
- 2 packets sweetener (such as monk fruit extract)
- pinch salt
- 1/8 tsp espresso powder
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
Then stir in the dry:
- 7g cacao powder
- 14g white whole wheat flour
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
Mix until almost all the lumps are gone. For microwaving the cake, I typically grease a small shallow bowl (10 oz condiment bowl in the picture below), pour the batter in, microwave, and eat directly from the bowl. If you will want to remove the finished cake and set it up all pretty on a plate, line the bowl with parchment paper for easy removal (as pictured here). Cooking time will vary slightly based on your microwave power and the size of your bowl. If using something deeper like a small mug, it may need a few extra seconds to cook through in the center. 
For the warm butterscotch frosting:
- 1/2 Tbsp cream cheese (reduced or full fat)
- ~5g butterscotch chips (Lily’s)
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp vanilla
- pinch espresso powder
- pinch cinnamon
Just microwave in a little bowl 10-11 seconds and stir until smooth.
And that’s it! The chocolate cake is moist and satisfying with deep dark chocolate flavor rather than a sweetness overload. The glaze is rich and buttery with sweet warm notes of maple, vanilla, and cinnamon…which you’d never think could be done without any butter or refined sugar. Magic is what it is.
Plus with a healthy dose of fiber and protein, under 8g of sugar, and under 180 calories, made with quality ingredients, you really can’t beat it. 
One-Minute Chocolate Cake with Warm Cream Cheese Butterscotch Glaze
Notes
Cooking time will vary slightly based on your microwave power and the size of your bowl. Recipe is written for a 10 oz shallow dip/condiment bowl as pictured above. If using something deeper like a small mug, it may need a few extra seconds to cook through in the center.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 tsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp neutral oil (I use almond oil or avocado oil)
- 2 Tbsp milk (1% or higher)
- 2 packets sweetener (such as monk fruit extract)
- pinch salt
- 1/8 tsp espresso powder
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 7g cacao powder
- 14g white whole wheat flour
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
For the warm butterscotch frosting:
- 1/2 Tbsp cream cheese (reduced or full fat)
- ~5g butterscotch chips (such as Lily's)
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/8 tsp vanilla
- pinch espresso powder
- pinch cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together applesauce through vanilla until thoroughly mixed.
- Then add cacao through baking powder. Stir until almost all the lumps are gone.
- Lightly grease a small shallow bowl (such as a 10 oz condiment bowl) with oil/butter/cooking spray. (Alternatively, line with parchment paper if planning on removing the cake from the bowl.) Pour in the batter. Microwave 60 seconds, or just until set in the center.
- In a separate small microwave-safe bowl, add ingredients for the frosting. Microwave 10-11 seconds. Stir until smooth. Spread on top of finished cake.
