Have you ever wanted to eat an entire cake all by yourself?

I certainly have. In fact, I often daydream about diving fork-first into a decadent, chocolate-y, melt-in-your-mouth cake. In these daydreams the cake is never-ending, as well as the deliciously rich icing that I continually lick from my fork…

Yes, these daydreams are pretty naughty. And thankfully I don’t actually enact these daydreams every time I have them or I would be around 500 1,000 pounds. However, every now and again I do think it’s important (or at least OK) to splurge and enjoy something really delectable and naughty

So when my cake-eating daydream struck with a vengeance a couple of days ago, I just had to respond. It had been a while since I’d had cake and, try as I might, nothing else was hitting the spot. In order to satisfy my cravings, I knew exactly what I needed: something chocolate-flavored with warm, gooey, melted chocolate in every bite, and a rich caramel-like icing. Knowing this, I set to work, trying to keep this treat as healthy and allergy-friendly as possible, but still sweet enough to satisfy my cravings and keep those pesky daydreams at bay (at least for a little while).

With this beautiful, messy little cake, you won’t have to feel guilty for splurging! It’s made from healthy, whole ingredients and it’s individually sized so you won’t be tempted to eat way more than you should. This is especially important for me because I have a tendency to eat and eat until all the food is gone; it doesn’t matter if it’s enough food to feed a small village–if it’s in front of me (or in my vicinity), I’ll finish it off.

When I first decided to make this cake, I chose to make two small layers so that I could coat the entire cake with icing and add a layer of icing in-between.

It took a lot of restraint on my part not to eat the cakes straight out of the oven….

But as hard as it was to wait, I kept reminding myself that the brownie-like cakes would be even better with icing! I don’t know if you can see it very well in the picture below (my photography skills need some improvement), but the chocolate chips in the cake and the extra layer of icing in the middle really sent this cake over the top! I was craving decadence and that’s exactly what I got!

If you prefer to make one larger cake (rather than making 2 smaller layers), this recipe is just enough to completely fill a half-cup ramekin. However, I haven’t tried it myself so you may have to adjust the cooking time to ensure that it cooks all the way through. You could also use this recipe to make cupcakes, but you’ll probably want to make less icing. Or, if you’re like me, just go ahead and make the full recipe for the icing and eat the leftovers straight from the bowl (just remember to lick the bowl clean when you’re done).

**This frosting is based on Lou’s Quick “Nut Cream” Sauce. When she posted the recipe for this on her site (fridgescrapings.com), I made it that night, and many more times over the next few days. If you haven’t been to her site before, you should definitely check it out! Lou comes up with the most innovative and amazing foods, and her passion and curiosity are simply inspiring!

**I’ve submitted this recipe to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Healthy Vegan Fridays, and Gluten Free Fridays!