Healthy Chocolate Cake
This healthy chocolate cake is irresistibly delicious and also guilt-free. Say hello to this moist chocolate cake made with healthy ingredients like reduced sugar, whole wheat flour, and applesauce. This cake recipe is a winner!
Let me share a personal mantra that echoes through every creation in my kitchen. While “delicious” holds the coveted title of my favorite ingredient, a close second is the ever-reliable “healthy.”
Picture this equation: Healthy + Delicious = Happiness! It’s not just a formula; it’s the philosophy behind every treat I craft.
Join me in savoring the joy that comes from indulging in a dessert that not only delights the taste buds but also nourishes the body. Welcome to the sweet intersection where flavor meets well-being!
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Flour — I used regular whole wheat flour for this cake but you can substitute whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour.
- Sugar — Of course, we need sugar to make a cake delicious. I used coconut sugar in this cake recipe. Coconut sugar is less refined and may have a reduced glycemic impact. That said, we’re still using a minimal amount. Just enough to make the cake delicious and provide a good texture, but we’ll allow the frosting to add the extra sweetness we desire. Feel free to substitute regular sugar.
- Cocoa powder — I used natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, but you can also use a mixture of natural and Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Salt — We’ll add a bit of salt to enhance this cake’s flavor.
- Leaveners — Combining baking soda and baking powder creates a cake with soft texture.
- Egg substitute — Let’s acknowledge the magic of flaxseed eggs. These plant-based alternatives to traditional eggs not only bind the ingredients together but also contribute omega-3 fatty acids, making our chocolate cake even more wholesome.
- Applesauce — I wanted to use minimal vegetable oil in this cake and applesauce helps to keep the cake moist. If you don’t like it, here are some wonderful baking substitutes for applesauce.
- Vegetable oil — We’ll use a minimal amount of olive oil in this cake. Yes, you could use vegetable oil, but for the healthiest chocolate cake, I prefer the monosaturated fat that olive oil provides (vs polyunsaturated fats from most vegetable oils).
- Water — If your water has a flavor, I recommend using filtered water.
- Vinegar — We’ll add a bit of apple cider vinegar to interact with the leaveners. You can substitute white vinegar or even lemon juice.
- Coffee — I add a teaspoon of instant coffee to this cake recipe. It is optional, but it enhances the chocolate flavor.
Don’t forget to add this delicious Whipped Ganache Frosting on top. It’s not only smooth and creamy, it’s much lower in sugar, too!
How to Make Healthy Chocolate Cake
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda/powder and stir.
- Stir together flax eggs, water, applesauce, vinegar, oil, and coffee.
- Combine the wet and flour mixtures and stir to make the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake until done.
- Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
- Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar or top with Chocolate Frosting.
Frequently-Asked Questions
How does coconut sugar affect the cake's taste?
Coconut sugar adds a rich, caramel-like flavor, enhancing the overall taste of our chocolate delight.
Are there alternatives to coconut sugar for a lower glycemic index?
Yes, you can use natural sweeteners like maple syrup, agave nectar, or a zero-calorie sweetener, such as stevia. Experiment with quantities to achieve the sweetness level you prefer while keeping it a healthier option.
Healthy Cake with Minimal Sugar
Achieving the perfect balance of sweetness in a healthy chocolate cake requires finesse. Too much sugar can compromise your commitment to a healthier lifestyle, while too little can affect the texture and flavor of your cake.
Here’s how to master the art of minimizing sugar:
1. Texture Matters: Finding the Sweet Spot
- Too Much Sugar: Excessive sugar can lead to a cake that is overly moist and crumbly.
- Too Little Sugar: On the other hand, too little sugar can result in a dry and dense texture.
- The Sweet Spot: Experiment with sugar quantities to find the perfect balance that maintains a moist, tender crumb without overwhelming sweetness.
2. Balancing Act: Flavor without Overwhelm
- Too Much Sugar: Over-sweetening can mask the nuanced flavors of ingredients like cocoa.
- Too Little Sugar: A lack of sweetness may leave your cake tasting bland.
- Finding Balance: Gradually reduce sugar while enhancing other flavors with ingredients like vanilla, cinnamon, coffee, or a touch of sea salt.
3. Frosting as Sweet Support
- Too Little Sugar: If you’re cutting back on sugar in a cake, let the frosting contribute sweetness.
- Strategic Sweetening: Choose a naturally sweet frosting option, like avocado chocolate frosting or coconut yogurt frosting, to add the desired sweetness without overloading the cake itself.
Navigating the sweet terrain of cake baking is an art. Being mindful of the impact of sugar on texture, flavor, and overall sweetness, helps you create a Healthy Chocolate Cake that satisfies the sweet tooth while staying committed to a plant-based and health-conscious lifestyle.
Moisture Magic
Unlock the mystery behind achieving a moist cake texture without relying on traditional ingredients.
Our plant-based approach adds a delightful twist to the cake’s moisture, creating a mouthwatering experience that challenges the norms of conventional baking.
Unveiling the Goodness of Whole Wheat Flour
Discover the secret behind this Healthy Chocolate Cake’s wholesome foundation. Whole wheat flour takes center stage, adding fiber, nutrients, and a nutty richness to the mix.
Baking with whole wheat flour is considered healthier than all-purpose flour because it retains the entire wheat kernel, including the nutrient-rich bran and germ.
This results in higher fiber content, increased vitamins and minerals, and a lower glycemic index, making whole wheat flour a nutritious choice that contributes to better digestion and overall health.
Storage Tips
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can transfer slices to a freezer-safe container and freeze this cake for up to 2 months.
Healthy Frosting Options
No chocolate cake is complete without a delectable frosting, and the good news is, you can keep it healthy too! Here are some nutritious and delicious options to top off your guilt-free indulgence:
- You can make the avocado chocolate frosting found in this recipe for Chocolate Avocado Cake — it’s one of the healthiest frostings you’ll ever find.
- Whipped Ganache Frosting — I’ve used this frosting before, on my recipe for Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, and it’s delicious!
- Vegan Boiled Flour Frosting — This frosting is less sweet than many other frostings, but still satisfying.
- Powdered Sugar — Keep it simple by using sprinkles of powdered sugar on top.
Vegan Cake Recipes
If you love this recipe for healthy chocolate cake, here are more healthy dessert favorites to try:
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Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour (substitute whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour)
- 1 ½ cups coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 flax eggs (optional – see notes if omitting)
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup applesauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
- Whipped Ganache Frosting
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray a 8-inch square cake pan with vegetable spray. You can also place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan and spray the sides with vegetable oil.
- Combine in a large mixing bowl the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda/powder. Stir to combine.
- In a smaller bowl combine the flax eggs, water, applesauce, vinegar, oil, and coffee. Stir to combine.
- Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until there are no large lumps of flour, around one minute.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar or top with Whipped Ganache Frosting.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.