Healthy Chocolate Cake

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- Less than 100 calories a slice.

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!

This healthy cake isn’t like other “healthy” cakes out there. See, 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. 

This may be the healthiest chocolate cake ever, but your taste buds will have you fooled!

Bonus? It’s completely vegan, gluten free, and dairy free. Oh, and it clocks in at under 100 calories per slice!

How to make a healthy chocolate cake

No fancy mixers or kitchen equipment needed- Just one bowl and a mixing spoon. 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.

The Ingredients

• 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 erythritol. 
• 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– Works with the 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 good.
• Unsweetened applesauce– Applesauce replaces the need for any fat 
• Water– Instead of using milk or non dairy milk, we use water. Use room temperature water, not warm or hot. 

The Instructions

Start by mixing together your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 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. Transfer the cake batter into a cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out ‘just’ clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost the cake. 

Healthy Chocolate Frosting

You can use any chocolate frosting of 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 erythritol), 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. 

Tips for the perfect healthy cake

• 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. 

Storing and Freezing Tips

• 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. 

More Healthy Cake Recipes

• Chocolate Cake
• Vanilla Cake
• Strawberry Cake
• Lemon Cake
• Blueberry Cake

Healthy Chocolate Cake (Fat Free AND Sugar free!)

5 from 2356 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 mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Rate This Recipe Pin Print

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour gluten free, if necessary
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sweetener of choice * See notes
• ▢ 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 6 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
• ▢ 1 cup water

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

Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!