From The Most Decadent Diet Ever by Devin Alexander. I dreamed about eating a cake like this for years (both in my sleep and just rapid-fire thoughts during the day). I’m serious. I’m one of those “There’s no such thing as chocolate cake that’s too rich” types. I was dieting, but I would have to “cheat” with chocolate from time to time just to keep my sanity.

And then came this cake. It’s as rich as they come and I love it more than any other flourless chocolate espresso cake I’ve had. Plus, it packs six grams of fiber, so it really is guilt free!

If you really want to impress your friends, store some, unbaked, in the ramekins in an airtight container in your freezer. When you need a no-fuss dessert, pop them in the water bath and bake them 30 to 32 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Generously mist four 3-1/2-inch-diameter ramekins with spray. Place them side by side in an 8 X 8-inch baking pan. Add water to the pan until it reaches halfway to the top of the ramekins.

Use a sturdy whisk or spatula to mix the applesauce, vanilla, egg whites, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add the cocoa powder, espresso, and salt. Stir until just combined and no lumps remain. Divide evenly among the ramekins (each ramekin will be about two-thirds full).

Bake for 21 to 24 minutes, until the tops look silky and puff slightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out a bit wet. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the rame-kins from the water bath to a cooling rack. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate. Let stand for
1 minute, and then slowly lift off the ramekin (the cakes should come out on their own, but if they don’t, run a knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen them). Cool for another 5 to 10 minutes. Use a fine sieve to evenly dust each cake with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar. Place one raspberry on the center of each cake, if using. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 Cakes; 4 Servings or 8 Portions

Each 1-Decadent-Disk portion (1/2 cake) has: 101 calories, 3 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates,
1 g fat, <1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 182 mg sodium

Each 2-Decadent-Disk serving (1 cake) has: 203 calories, 7 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates,
2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 364 mg sodium

You save: 293 calories, 33 g fat, 19 g saturated fat

Traditional serving: 496 calories, 6 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 35 g fat, 20 g saturated fat,
195 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 369 mg sodium

Photograph by Theresa Raffetto