Please note, this is an adaptation of Barbara Kafka’s brownie recipe from her book Microwave Gourmet, modified to be free of gluten and refined sugar (other than that in the chocolate). The result is more of a cake than a fudgey brownie, but getting a soft cake in a few minutes is a win.

Have 5-10 minutes? Want Chocolate Cake?

You’ll need the following cookware:

• A 3 cup Pyrex Baking Pan (7.6″ x 5.6″)
• A 2 cup Pyrex Measuring Cup
• A Microwave Oven
• A Spatula
• Two mixing bowls
• General measuring devices and flatware

And the following ingredients:

• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp Liquid Stevia extract OR 1/2 cup Splenda
• 57 grams unsalted quality butter or ghee (i.e. Kerrygold, or a good grass fed Ghee if you are avoiding milk solids)
• 85 grams of good quality Dark Chocolate (in chips, or splintered if it was whole)
• 100 grams of Almond Flour
• 1/4 tsp of Baking Powder
• A pinch of Kosher Salt

First, combine the almond flour, baking powder and kosher salt in a mixing bowl.

Second, if you are using Liquid Stevia, break the eggs into a mixing bowl and add the stevia and vanilla. Beat the eggs well.

Next, combine the chocolate and butter/ghee in the measuring cup, cover, and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove the measuring cup (be careful, it will be hot), and blend the chocolate and butter together until the chocolate has dissolved.

If you are using the Liquid Stevia, slowly pour the chocolate mixture into egg mixture, blending constantly. If you are using the Splenda (and thus have no egg mixture), first add the Splenda to the measuring cup and mix well. Then add the eggs (one at a time) and likewise mix well, before adding the vanilla extract. Either way, the result at the end should be a chocolate mixture with a puddinglike consistency.

Add the chocolate mixture to the almond flour/salt/baking powder and fold it in with the spatula until fully blended. Then pour the resulting batter into the Pyrex pan, smooth and even it with the spatula, and cover tightly with plastic wrap (i.e. press it down onto the surface of the batter).

Cook in the Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap, and the cake is ready to serve. Refrigerate any uneaten cake.

Additional Notes:

The pan is very specifically chosen here. Pan sizes and shapes drastically affect Microwave cooking. If you want to increase the amount, make multiple batches.

You can also use this same recipe to make chocolate Biscotti. Double the amount of fat (you can also use coconut butter) to 114 grams, and cook first covered on high for 4 minutes, and then uncovered on high for 2 minutes more. When the pan is removed from the Microwave, you will see it foaming with cooking fats. As soon as the fat subsides, take a knife or offset spatula and cut thin slices across the pan (i.e. the slices should be the width of the 5.6″ side, and less than an inch thick). The cooked batter is going to harden quickly, and you want to cut it while it is soft. Leave it in the pan until it cools, and then refrigerate.