Healthy Chocolate Cake

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5 from 2667 votes
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Hands down, this is the healthiest chocolate cake recipe on this planet! Moist and with a tender crumb, this healthy cake is sugar free, fat free, and low calorie- but you’d never tell. I love how each slice has just 100 calories.

Love healthy dessert recipes? Try my healthy chocolate chip cookies, healthy brownies, healthy cookie dough, and healthy lemon bars.

Healthy chocolate cake

You can never have too many chocolate cake recipes. When I’m not enjoying some flourless chocolate cake or zucchini chocolate cake, I’m enjoying a slice or two of this healthy chocolate cake

I’ve had my fair share of ‘healthy’ cakes and not going to lie, I was VERY disappointed. Many fat-free desserts or baked goods are prone to being gummy and not overly enjoyable to eat, but NOT this cake!

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make a healthy chocolate cake
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Storage instructions
  6. More simple cake recipes to try
  7. Healthy Chocolate Cake (Fat Free AND Sugar free!) (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

  • It’s made with no sugar, no oil, no butter, and no milk…but you’d never tell!
  • The texture is EXACTLY what you want in any good chocolate cake- moist, fluffy, and with a tender crumb. The taste ticks all the boxes, too- sweet and loaded with chocolate flavor. 
  • It’s completely vegan, gluten free, and dairy free.
  • If calories are something you focus on, each slice has just 100 calories.
  • No fancy mixers or kitchen equipment needed- Just one bowl and a mixing spoon.
sugar free chocolate cake

Ingredients needed

You’ll notice that this recipe is a triple-layer cake. Ingredients listed are for one single cake, so double or triple it as needed.

  • All purpose flour– An affordable and simple flour. If you’d like to boost the healthiness of it, you can use white wholewheat all purpose flour. To keep this healthy cake gluten-free, use gluten-free flour. 
  • Granulated sweetener- Any sugar-free and calorie-free granulated sweetener will work. I prefer using monk fruit sweetener or allulose.
  • Cocoa Powder– Use a good quality cocoa powder, and sift it first to ensure there are no clumps. For a richer chocolate cake, use dark cocoa powder. 
  • Baking soda– Gives the cake some rise and leavening. 
  • Salt– Enhances the sweetness of the cake.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar– Reacts with baking soda so that you don’t need to use eggs. You can also use white vinegar or even lemon juice.
  • Vanilla Extract– A must for any cake or baked goods.
  • Unsweetened applesauce– Applesauce replaces the need for any fat without affecting the flavor or texture.
  • Water– Instead of using milk or non-dairy milk, we use water. Use room temperature water, not warm or hot. 

How to make a healthy chocolate cake

Step 1- Whisk the dry. Start by mixing together your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2- Add the wet. Next, add your apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and unsweetened applesauce and mix until just combined. Then, add your water and mix very well, until fully incorporated.

Step 3- Bake. Transfer the cake batter into a cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out ‘just’ clean.

Step 4- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost the cake. 

how to make healthy chocolate cake.

Frosting ideas

You can use any chocolate frosting of your choice. While I often use a healthy frosting (made with applesauce), to keep the sugar and calories down, I also use this sugar-free and fat-free chocolate frosting- 

To make: 1 cup sugar free powdered sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sweetener (monk fruit or allulose), cocoa powder, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk.

Combine your dry ingredients and mix well. Add the vanilla extract and milk and whisk together, until smooth and glossy. For a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner one, add more milk. 

Recipe tips and variations

  • Do not overbake the cake! I cannot stress this enough. You want to remove the cake from the oven when a skewer comes out ‘just’ clean, as the cake continues to cook as it is cooling down. 
  • I prefer to make a triple layer cake, as I find it gives it a more decadent look and flavor. If you’d also like a triple layer cake, simply triple the cake ingredients, and double the frosting ingredients!
  • The frosting is completely optional. Omit it if you prefer a cake without frosting.
  • Use this recipe as part of a healthy breakfast, by serving it with some Greek yogurt or eggs (for added protein). 
  • If you’d prefer a snack chocolate cake or chocolate sheet cake, you can bake it in a square pan. 

Storage instructions

To store: Leftover cake can be stored in a sealable container, at room temperature. It will keep well for up to 7 days. To ensure it remains moist, place paper towel over the tops of it, before sealing. Refrigerate the cake if you’d like it to keep longer than 7 days. 

To freeze: Place pieces of cake in a freezer friendly container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw in the microwave for 30 seconds, or in the refrigerator overnight. 

healthiest chocolate cake

More simple cake recipes to try

fat free chocolate cake

Healthy Chocolate Cake (Fat Free AND Sugar free!)

5 from 2667 votes
This is the healthiest chocolate cake- 100% fat free, sugar free and made with no eggs, no butter, and no milk! Moist and with a tender crumb, this healthy chocolate cake recipe is vegan and gluten free!
Servings: 8 Slices
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine your flour, granulated sweetener,cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix well.
  • Add your vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and unsweetened applesauce and mix well. Pour the water over the top and mix until fully combined.
  • Transfer the cake batter into the lined pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out just clean.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool in the cake pan for 10 minutes, before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost if desired.

Notes

For a sugar free and low calorie chocolate frosting, see the frosting provided in the post. You can also use another healthy frosting.
For a double or triple layer cake, double and triple the ingredients. Cooking time doesn’t vary at all. 
* You can use any zero calorie sweetener of choice. I prefer using monk fruit sweetener or erythritol. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1SliceCalories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSodium: 306mgPotassium: 74mgFiber: 2gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 19g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Originally published August 2020, updated March 2024

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. In your post, for the frosting “To make: 1 cup sugar free powdered sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sweetener (monk fruit or erythritol), cocoa powder, vanilla extract, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk,” how much cocoa powder and vanilla extract do I use?

    Thank you!

  2. Hi! I only have a 9 inch spring foam pan. So the cake layer will be a little thinner. Should I adjust the length of cooking time?

  3. 5 stars
    I was most skeptical about this cake i.e., taste and moistness. But, oh my gosh, this cake is DELICIOUS. It is so moist and again DELICIOUS. It was easy and quick. I will definitely be making this cake again and again. BTW, I did not ice my cake.

      1. 5 stars
        This cake is fantastic~ so moist! I was using up various flours I had so used a combo of almond flour, garbanzo bean flour and a bit of gluten free all purpose and it came out great!!!
        I didn’t try the frosting because it didn’t list the amount of cocoa powder. Can you add the amount to the recipe?
        Thanks!!

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