I’ve been sticking like (well, something like) glue to my Sweets Only On Days That Begin With An S commitment, but even on those days, I’m finding that I don’t have a craving for over-the-top, sugary, calorie bombs. And – I don’t have the freezer space to store leftovers. Which is why desserts for two are perfect – especially desserts for two that don’t require the oven. No sugar, no oil, completely unrefined and jam-packed with flavor. These cakes rise to double their size and have a spongecake-like texture.
P.S. On Thursday (June 6) I will be posting a review about and a recipe from Kathy Hester’s new cookbook, The Great Vegan Bean Book – and you’ll have a chance to enter to win a copy of this fabulous cookbook.

Poppyseed Orange Coconut Cakes for 2
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 15
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
With a handful of whole food ingredients and about 5 minutes, you can serve up a delicious oil-free, sugar-free dessert for you and your sweetie or friend.
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 Tbsp. hazelnut meal
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 Tbsp. poppyseeds
- zest of half an orange
- 5 dates, chopped
- 6 Tbsp. water
- 6 Tbsp. coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp. orange extract
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2–3 strawberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- your favorite sweetener (I use stevia), to taste
- 1/4 tsp berry extract (I use raspberry), optional
- ~1/2 cup of water
Instructions
- Lightly oil two ramekins. Set aside.
- Combine the strawberries, blueberries, sweetener, and extract in a bowl and stir. Let this mixture sit for a few hours if you have the time – they just taste better!
- In a small bowl, soak the dates in the water, coconut milk, and the two extracts. Process this mixture in a blender and set aside.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, coconut flakes, poppyseeds and orange zest. Pour the nut milk/date mixture in with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Divide the mixture between the two ramekins and place in a microwave to cook. This can take between 3 and 5 minutes, depending on how powerful your microwave is. Test interior of cakes with a toothpick.
- Carefully remove the cakes from the ramekins, slice in half and top with berries.
Notes
- I’ll bet this would be even better with some coconut whipped cream on top.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 487
- Sugar: 46
- Sodium: 88
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 85
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 0
These look delicious! Quick and easy…. and way more elegant than my Chocolate Covered Banana Brownie for 1 🙂
Thanks, Kelli – but I have to say, I’ll take your Chocolate covered Banana Brownie over this, hehe!
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Love the poppyseeds in them! I bet it gives a great texture. They look and sound delicious. I make my desserts all the time in smaller portions or just for two as well, because I know I can’t control myself otherwise!
Totally! If it’s sitting there, I’ll eat it!
Beautiful!
Oh, hazelnut meal! That’s an ingredient you don’t see all of the time. I bet it adds a wonderful nuttiness to the cakes.
I often sneak it into my baked goods, but it’s kind of like gold $$$!
They look so pretty Annie and I love recipes for small portions!
Me, too. My freezer was getting jammed with too many goodies!
That’s exactly my situation!!
That sounds totally yummy and in my range of recipes…without eggs,sugar…thanks ever so much for sharing it with us 🙂
I’m am working very hard to cut sugar completely out of my life – baby steps!
Baby steps is the best, you don’t have then, withdrawal symptoms.
I took the advise of my health counselor who claims rice syrup is the most digestible sugar that keeps the level of sugar even in the body with no deep high & lows.
I felt much better with it and gradually went off that too as I chose to nourish myself with consistent foods as a next step but my journey is about thirty years old 🙂 it truly was baby steps!
I love that this is just enough for two, perfect sizing! This would be delicious for a summer dessert!
I was inspired by your “for one” desserts ;-)!
Awesome! Since I only cook for myself, smaller serving recipes are perfect! Good for you forsticking to your sweets resolution. I would have such a hard time with that!
It IS hard a lot of the time. I go through phases where I have zero sweet cravings and then BAM! – it’s back. Guess it’s that dang hormonal thing!
These sound awesome…poppyseeds make everything more fun
True dat!
These look lovely Annie…just perfect for our wintery conditions served warm from the oven with some whipped coconut cream and some homemade fruit syrup or a delicious puddle of vegan custard 🙂
Droooool…you always know how to take it right over the top!
Looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing–I do love microwave baking 🙂
I’m learning to appreciate it – nice and quick!
Girl, you’re speaking my language, small portions, delicious tasting and quick cooking. I saw these in the middle of the night last night and the only thing that stopped me from busting them out then was that I might wake up my family clanking around the kitchen.
Haha! That would’ve been funny – they walk into the kitchen, rubbing their sleepy eyes, and mom is snarfing down cake and berries.
Love that image…
Remind me to share with you something I read about sleeping. Might be the ticket for your nocturnal wanderings.
I’m typically not an insomniac and love to be in bed before 10pm most days. A certain nagging injury has been making it impossible to sleep as of late 🙁
I think I need some Quaaludes… hehe.
These look fantastic – and I like the mini-recipe, so easy to customize to the quantity you actually need. Thanks!
No poppy-seeds and I’d be all over it 😀
Whoah, a dessert that does NOT have sugar nor oil. Not to mention, no oven required. This is awesome!
Wow, this really does look amazing!
What a great, grand & very appetizing looking dessert, Annie! I love them beautifully presented this way too! ,…;)
Thank you, Sophie!
I need to make this. I love the idea of that desserts don’t have to be this big orchestrated thing. It can be as simple as mixing up some stuff and hitting a few buttons on the microwave. It looks lovely!
Sometimes you just need something sweet quick!
So yummy! And served on top of all the berries – delicious Annie!
These look delicious and I love the sort of built-in guarantee that you can’t over-indulge!
i love these zesty cakes for one or two. lets say one!:)) theres definitely more than 1 minute chocolate cake to be done in the microwave next!
Yum Annie – these look ridiculously good (and even better, ridiculously easy!) – love all of the ingredients here. Perfect!
Oh I love berries in desserts and these look incredible, Annie! I’m daydreaming now about pairing them with a hot cup of berry tea, mmmmmm
I’ll take a healthy, fruity dessert like this any day!
Your yummy Super-Quick Poppyseed-Orange-Coconut Cakes are great for the two of us….. 🙂
Yep – perfect for those of us in small households!
I prefer not to use microwave ovens – can you suggest an alternative means of cooking? Thanks for the share
Jodie, you could try making this in the oven, but I haven’t tried it so can’t vouch for it.