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    Home » Recipes » Healthy Desserts

    Buckwheat Flour Chocolate Cake for One (Oil-Free)

    Published: Aug 13, 2018 · Modified: Nov 6, 2022 by Lauren · This post may contain affiliate links · 45 Comments

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    Soft and airy chocolate cake for one, made with gluten-free buckwheat flour - NO oil or butter!

    Buckwheat flour chocolate cake

    This should really be called Jade's Favorite Cake, because she's who I make this for more than anyone.

    I have to tell you a little bit about my oldest, who turns NINE in a few months!

    I got pregnant with her at a time when I had been having abnormal periods for years and really didn't think kids were in the cards for me. The sad realization was fine, but a bit depressing, nonetheless.

    I discovered I was pregnant during a very allergic stage in my life and believe I passed on a lot of those same sensitivities on to Jade.

    As a baby, her eczema would be so bad that she'd scratch until she bled. It was heartbreaking for me, and I've carried a lot of guilt about it over the years.

    Each year, however, she seems to get better. She's been able to eat more foods than ever this summer, which elates me! I love knowing how much nutrition she's been able to pack in.

    Though she's successfully ate whole wheat and spelt without any trouble, buckwheat flour is still a mainstay in her diet.

    She loves the flavor, and it's the most agreeable flour I give her....henceforth!...I created for her this buckwheat flour chocolate cake.

    Single serve gluten-free chocolate cake

    This is one of her favorite treats (the other is this gluten-free cookie).

    Her favorite part, of course, is topping it with chocolate pieces, which she correspondingly eats while we chat in the kitchen. The girls started back at school last week, and I really enjoy listening to all the elementary drama. 🙂

    Sammy and I love this cake too! It's soft and moist, and the ingredients list is a simple one.

    While you can buy ready-ground buckwheat flour in the store, I like to grind the raw buckwheat groats myself. I find the flavor much more palatable, and the flour is always fresh!

    For the sugar, I stay at two teaspoons for myself and three teaspoons for Jade. I've also had success with a combination of one teaspoon and a bit of stevia, it just depends on your personal preference.

    Remember, the chocolate chips and applesauce add some sweetness as well!

    Buckwheat flour chocolate cake
    Print Recipe
    4.14 from 59 votes

    Buckwheat Flour Chocolate Cake for One

    A satisfying oil-free and gluten-free chocolate cake for one made with buckwheat flour!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Cake
    Servings: 1 cake
    Calories: 166kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 Tbsp buckwheat flour see Notes
    • 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
    • ¼ tsp baking soda
    • dash sea salt
    • 2-3 tsp coconut sugar
    • 1 Tbsp applesauce
    • 3 Tbsp milk of your choice see Notes
    • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl (flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, sugar).
    • Stir in the wet ingredients (applesauce, milk, vanilla) until smooth and well combined.
    • Pour the batter into a small well-oiled ramekin.
    • Top with chocolate.
    • Bake 15-18 minutes, until the top feels springy to the touch.

    Notes

    Nutrition facts are based on using two teaspoons of coconut sugar and unsweetened almond milk. WW SmartPoints: 7

    Nutrition

    Sugar: 15.6g | Calories: 166kcal | Fat: 5g | Protein: 3.9g | Carbohydrates: 30g

    Notes:

    These are the raw buckwheat groats I use to grind my flour.

    Because there is no added oil or fat in this recipe, I like to add in a rich milk, like my Homemade Coconut Milk.

    These are some of the items I use to make this recipe:


    Recipe Steps:

    Mixing the dry ingredients...

    Mixing the batter...

    Oil the ramekin...

    Pour the batter in!

    Top with chocolate...

    Healthy chocolate cake for one (low sugar)

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Denise

      May 14, 2022 at 12:07 pm

      I just made this and I am pleasantly surprised. I will keep this in my repertoire of healthy snacks. No need for any frosting with this recipe. I added some cocoa nibs for a boost in fiber. I love how moist it is. This is my second time using buckwheat flour (Bobs Redmill). I made a banana bread with the buckwheat flour and thought it was a little dry, although it was still good. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Lauren

        May 14, 2022 at 1:13 pm

        Thanks for the comment, Denise. I'm happy you enjoyed the cake. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Vanessa

      April 20, 2022 at 7:29 pm

      Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?

      Reply
    3. Suzanne

      April 20, 2022 at 7:28 pm

      This looks so good! What a great treat to make when you want to incorporate other kinds of grains!

      Reply
    4. Vanessa

      September 17, 2021 at 11:35 am

      Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?

      Reply
    5. Suzanne

      September 17, 2021 at 11:34 am

      This look so good! What a great way to have a gf cake with a similar texture!

      Reply
    6. Caren

      June 22, 2021 at 8:31 pm

      Thank you for the recipe! This was great! I subbed pumpkin for the applesauce and used oat milk. Do you think this would work with oat flour instead of buckwheat?

      Reply
      • Lauren

        June 24, 2021 at 4:23 pm

        I would use this recipe instead and maybe add some sugar to your taste: https://www.oatmealwithafork.com/bitter-chocolate-orange-cake-with-peanut-butter-orange-frosting-for-one/

        Reply
    7. Rebecca

      June 13, 2021 at 5:15 am

      Hello, can I use toasted buckwheat groats for this lovely recipe ,(and grind into flour)? Many thanks x

      Reply
      • Lauren

        June 13, 2021 at 9:10 am

        Hi Rebecca,

        I wouldn't use the toasted variety for this, as it has a very strong taste. I like the raw groats, such as what I've linked in the notes.

        Reply
        • Rebecca

          June 14, 2021 at 1:24 am

          Thank you for your reply Lauren 😊

          Reply
    8. Dee

      June 09, 2021 at 5:32 pm

      Just made this with my toddler, doubled recipe as I had slightly larger clay ramekin and it came out perfect! My youngest has allergies so this will be her bday cake, perfect size for us!

      Reply
    9. Raman

      May 03, 2021 at 2:33 pm

      I tried this cake and love it. This is the second time I am making it. Though I made the full size cake for the family of 6. They loved it!! Thank you

      Reply
    10. Abby

      February 13, 2021 at 2:48 pm

      I am sure you are super great, but this tastes like what I imagine feet tastes like. It also fell. I tried!

      Reply
      • Lauren

        February 13, 2021 at 3:26 pm

        Hah! I'd help troubleshoot, but you're probably not interested. Thanks for trying, sorry you didn't like it!

        Reply
    11. Wendy

      January 18, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      Which size ramekin is the baking time for? 4 or 6 inches? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lauren

        January 19, 2021 at 8:45 am

        An 8-10 ounce ramekin would be best!

        Reply
    12. Steve

      November 20, 2020 at 2:01 pm

      I'm baking it now. Will get back to you with a chocolate update. Minutes away.....

      Reply
    13. Denise

      September 06, 2020 at 11:44 am

      Just made this for the first time and it’s EXCELLENT!!

      Reply
    14. Donna Anglin

      August 14, 2020 at 4:02 am

      I can't wait to try this! I'm going to try it with maple syrup, since I can just lessen the amount of milk by a bit. I'll let you know how it works! Thank you!

      Reply
    15. Ishita

      June 30, 2020 at 3:52 am

      Thank you for this recipe! The cake turned out tasty and moist. I’ll probably make it sweeter next time. Would baking powder work in place of baking soda?

      Reply
      • Lauren

        June 30, 2020 at 9:24 am

        I haven't tried baking powder, but the general rule is to double the amount of baking soda for the amount of baking powder (so use 1/2 teaspoon baking powder for this). Thank you for your review! 🙂

        Reply
    16. Christina

      May 08, 2020 at 3:33 pm

      Thanks for the recipe! I tried this last weekend and it was delicious!! My partner even enjoyed it and he's not the biggest buckwheat fan. I substituted the applesauce for a very ripe banana, used brown sugar instead of coconut and multiplied everything by 4 to make a cake (except the sugar, I put less in). Texture was really moist and springy. Really enjoyed it and now I have a recipe I can bake for my vegan gf friends.

      Reply
    17. Christina

      April 25, 2020 at 5:35 am

      Just tried this cake yesterday for myself and my extremely sensitive toddler. I was so happy to find a recipe we only had to make one substitution in (she can’t have coconut)!! It turned out beautifully, I wish I could add a picture. It was also delicious, and didn’t last long! Thank you so much for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Lauren

        April 25, 2020 at 3:02 pm

        Aw, that's great, Christina! I'm so glad when an allergic child has something they enjoy. Thanks for your comment and rating!

        Reply
    18. Sara

      December 29, 2019 at 9:01 am

      Is this meant to taste like burnt buckwheat flour? Because it did. The consistency was perfect though. We threw it away.

      Reply
      • Lauren

        December 29, 2019 at 9:51 am

        This is lower sugar recipe, as most of mine are! I try to warn in the post to up the sugar if you have a 'sweeter' tooth.

        Reply
    19. Liron

      July 23, 2019 at 4:42 am

      Hi Lauren. Looks really yummy and healthy 🙂
      I want to make it a regular sized cake.
      How much should I multiply the ingredients?

      Reply
      • Lauren

        July 25, 2019 at 1:29 pm

        Thanks, Liron! I'm not sure, as I've never tried...I'd probably 4x the whole recipe and make it in an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Again, that's just a guess!

        Reply
    20. Sharon A

      April 12, 2019 at 5:27 pm

      I can't seem to find the part where you grind your flour for this. How much raw buckwheat do you use, and do you grind it with the other dry ingredients since it's such a small amount? Have you ever used sprouted buckwheat to make your flour, and if so, how did you use it? Thanks - I have a lot of buckwheat I'm sprouting in small batches, and need some creative recipes to use it all up! Looking forward to trying this one out as I am a dedicated choco-holic 🙂

      Reply
      • Lauren

        April 13, 2019 at 9:35 am

        Hi Sharon,

        I grind my raw groats at once and place the flour into a storage bag and just measure it from there. I'm not certain on the amount of groats you need to make 'x amount' of flour. I've not used sprouted buckwheat, but as long as it's dry, it seems like it would process into flour just as well! I hope you like the cake if you try it, it's a favorite around here!

        Reply
    21. Onaca

      March 07, 2019 at 10:45 pm

      Hello! This looks delicious. I'd like to make it as a birthday treat for a friend, but I'm wondering if there are any substitutes you could recommend for the applesauce? Could I use butter or oil, or is there something else that would be good? I'm in Japan and unfortunately applesauce is crazy expensive here!

      Reply
      • Kimberly

        October 03, 2019 at 7:27 pm

        I live overseas, too, and have the same problem. I’ve also found it almost impossible to find applesauce without added sugar so I’ve started making my own and canning it. On a smaller scale, making your own applesauce is so easy, especially if you’re making only enough for one serving or recipe. Just peel and core as many apples as you need and steam them for a few minutes. After they’re done, pop them in a blender and add some of the steaming water, if it’s too dry. The consistency will be determined by whether you choose purée or to pulse the blender blade.

        Reply
    22. Fariha

      January 02, 2019 at 10:29 am

      Just making the cake sub the applesauce with banana.. And used some Xylitol.. Had some vegan chocolate.. Divided the mixture into 4 paper cases... My daughter has IBD.. am just bought some sprouted buckwheat flour started googling and fount you.. Fingers crossed.. Thanks for the recipe x

      Reply
      • Lauren

        January 02, 2019 at 2:00 pm

        I hope you guys like it, Fariha! I just made one today too, lol! 🙂

        Reply
        • Fariha

          January 02, 2019 at 2:27 pm

          Yes we loved it... Not sure hiw different the sprouted flower tastes to the other one.. But it turned out great.. Thanks again.. Will be checking out more of your recipes x

          Reply
          • Lauren

            January 03, 2019 at 5:26 pm

            Oh great, I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know, Fariha!

            Reply
      • Roberta Shagam

        January 11, 2019 at 5:55 pm

        i used spiced apple butter and got a gooy center, like a brownie
        also , doubled the amount and got six small cupcakes
        great recipe, thank you !

        Reply
        • Lauren

          January 13, 2019 at 1:01 pm

          Thanks Roberta, glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

          Reply
    23. Adrienne

      August 28, 2018 at 7:42 am

      Looks great. Will need to make!

      Reply
    24. Pansy

      August 14, 2018 at 5:06 am

      Very fantastic chocolate cake to eating thank you " LAUREN" for sharing my favourite chocolate cake post

      Reply
    25. Marney

      August 13, 2018 at 11:05 am

      Hi Lauren. I love reading your posts. They are the highlight of my day! I can't wait to try your newest mouthwatering treat!

      Reply
    26. Vic

      August 13, 2018 at 9:14 am

      Hi Lauren,
      This recipe sounds delicious. I would like to grind the raw buckwheat groats myself. Which appliance do you use for this? Do you rinse and dry the oats? Or do you use them dry, straight out of the package? Any hints? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Lauren

        August 13, 2018 at 10:13 am

        Hi Vic,

        I grind my groats in either a coffee grinder or with the Nutribullet using a flat blade. No need to rinse, just grind them straight from the bag. 🙂

        Reply
        • Vic

          August 15, 2018 at 6:56 am

          Hi Lauren,

          Thank you. I am so glad I do not need a Vitamix to grind the groats. Your recipe is an inspiration -- just buckwheat flour for a gluten-free and nutritious treat. No need to blend two or more flours.

          Reply

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    Hi there, I'm Lauren Goslin, and I've been a food blogger for over ten years. My goal with this blog is to show you healthy, lower sugar recipes that my family and I enjoy.

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