Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 0.25 cups flour , plus more for dusting cake pan
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
• 0.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.25 teaspoons baking soda
• 0.25 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 4.5 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon
• 0.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 0.5 cups sugar
• 1 ounce dark chocolate , chopped, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. 1 Preheat air fryer to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C). Coat a 6-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; dust with 2 tablespoons flour, tapping out excess.
2. 2 Stir together 1/4 cup flour, the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, applesauce, oil, espresso powder, and vanilla.
3. 3 In a third bowl, beat egg with an electric mixer at low speed. Gradually add sugar. Increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until mixture is thick and pale, about 2 minutes.
4. 4 Alternately fold flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into egg mixture with a rubber spatula, stirring until incorporated before adding next addition. Fold in dark chocolate.
5. 5 Pour batter into the prepared pan. Arrange pan in the air fryer basket.
6. 6 Cook until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack about 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
7. 7 For the frosting, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until butter begins to turn golden brown and smells nutty, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer butter to a bowl; cool for 10 minutes.
8. 8 Whisk in honey and vanilla. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth, adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency. The frosting will look separated but will come together with whisking in water a little at a time.
9. 9 Immediately top cooled cake with the frosting and garnish with additional dark chocolate.

Nutrition per serving