This No-Bake Chocolate Cake Only Requires 2 Ingredients

If you're a chocolate lover, then you may sometimes get a random craving for a tasty slice of chocolate cake. However, when the craving strikes, you may not have the energy, or the ingredients on hand, to simply make a chocolate cake from scratch. That's where a two-ingredient, no-bake chocolate cake comes in. It requires very little work on your part and just two ingredients: a cup of applesauce and 3 cups of chocolate chips.

Either semi-sweet or dark chocolate will work, so choose your preference. It's just important to keep in mind that, with there only being two ingredients in this recipe, the type of chocolate will determine how sweet the dessert is. You can also add sweetness with toppings — but more on that later.

To make this easy yet delicious dessert, start by melting the chocolate — but not before reading our guide on how to perfectly melt chocolate without burning it. From there, all you have to do is combine the melted chocolate with the applesauce and transfer the mixture into a 7-inch or 8-inch springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper so that the chocolate doesn't stick. A springform pan, specifically, is best, so that you can easily retrieve the cake from the pan when it's ready. Finally, pop the dessert in the fridge to set for at least a few hours. When it's ready, you'll have a chocolate cake that's so fudgy, rich, and delicious that you won't be able to tell it only has two ingredients.

As mentioned above, the sweetness of the cake depends on the chocolate that you use. If you're willing to use an extra ingredient or two for serving, then you can add extra sweetness. This is the perfect compromise if you prefer dark chocolate and want to use that for the cake, but are worried that it won't be sweet enough.

One great option is to whip up a sweet homemade sauce to drizzle over the top. You can always make a chocolate sauce — and perhaps use milk chocolate for this — or you can switch it up and opt for something like caramel sauce. Fresh fruit is another sweet, tasty topping that works beautifully with this cake — along with strawberries, you could try blackberries, raspberries, or cherries. Or, if you want to use the energy you saved putting together this super easy cake and make a more elevated sauce, you can try a honey and thyme strawberry sauce.

You can also simply sprinkle powdered sugar over the top — after all, what better way to make something sweeter than with sugar itself? Then, of course, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is the perfect addition to any cake, especially one that you want to make a bit sweeter. A dollop of whipped cream would also work nicely. Whatever you pick, it's sure to be delicious.