This deliciously rich, fudgy, and secretly healthy chocolate cake recipe includes one ingredient you will absolutely never guess!
The best healthy chocolate cake
Multiple friends and family members have proclaimed this to be the best chocolate cake recipe they’ve ever tasted.
And that is saying something, because none of them are on a vegan, gluten free, weight loss, or low calorie diet. They simply appreciate good food.
It’s so much fun to test the cake out on people who do not know the secret beforehand. Look for their shocked reactions when you reveal the hidden ingredient.
Serve the moist healthy cake at your next party or event, and guests of all ages will be begging you for the recipe!
Also make this Vegan Carrot Cake
Chocolate cake health benefits
While no cake will ever be the healthiest food you can choose, this one does have a surprising amount of nutrition.
Each fudgy slice packs in over five grams of protein and more than 15% of the RDA for fiber. and it can be both cholesterol free and oil free.
The cake is low fat, low in saturated fat, and just 100 calories a slice!
It is high in iron thanks to the cocoa powder and can be sugar free, egg free, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, cholesterol free, and oil free.
Superfood cauliflower is a good source of heart healthy vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. The low sodium and low carb cruciferous vegetable contains vitamin C, vitamin K, pantothenic acid, manganese, fiber, and folate.
Try topping the cake with Homemade Nutella
Ingredients for the healthy dessert
The easy chocolate cake calls for just ten ingredients. You may already own most of them in your kitchen pantry.
These ingredients include flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, pure vanilla extract, salt, sugar, optional stevia and eggs or flax seeds, mini chocolate chips, optional oil or milk of choice, and frozen cauliflower.
My favorite flour choice is whole grain spelt flour, because it adds fiber and gives the cake a light, fluffy texture. All purpose white flour and some brands of gluten free flour blends work as well.
While you can technically use oat flour, pastry flour, or whole wheat flour, these options yield a denser result. We recommend against coconut flour and almond flour.
For a keto and flourless version, try this Chocolate Almond Flour Cake.
Go with a high quality cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor. You may also substitute raw cacao powder. If you try Dutch cocoa, let us know how it goes.
The chocolate chips are not optional, because they impart a deep chocolatey taste into each bite of cake. Use dairy free chocolate chips for a vegan cake.
Feel free to choose regular sugar or a granulated unrefined sugar like coconut sugar. In our opinion, uncut stevia powder is the healthiest alternative sweetener because its only ingredient is stevia leaf, with no erythritol or other sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners added. If you wish to omit the stevia, simply replace it with additional sugar or no sugar xylitol.
Raw or fresh steamed cauliflower have a strong taste and should therefore be avoided in this recipe. We have not yet tried cauliflower rice.
For the best results, use frozen cauliflower and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter instead of in the microwave. Or try one of the substitutions for cauliflower listed in the next paragraph.
Leftover cauliflower? Make Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Healthy chocolate cake recipe video
Above – watch the step by step recipe video
Substitutions and flavors
If cauliflower is too unusual for you, substitute three fourths cup of canned pumpkin puree, roasted sweet potato, mashed banana, or Greek yogurt.
Turn it into a mocha cake by using brewed coffee instead of the milk or stirring a teaspoon of instant coffee granules in with the dry ingredients.
Add the zest of two oranges to the food processor for a chocolate orange cake.
Create a fancy chocolate peanut butter cake by swapping the three tablespoons of oil for a fourth cup of softened peanut butter or almond butter.
For black forest cake, top the recipe with Coconut Whipped Cream and fresh cherries or cherry jam. Garnish the sides with shaved dark chocolate.
Add half a teaspoon of pure peppermint extract for a mint chocolate chip cake.
Or top the finished dessert with date caramel frosting, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans to get a German chocolate cake.
For a healthy ice cream cake, top with Avocado Ice Cream or Banana Ice Cream.
Finally, you can make a yummy healthy birthday cake by decorating with a variety of fresh sliced fruit or natural rainbow sprinkles. Remember the birthday candles!
How to make a healthy chocolate cake
Thaw the cauliflower in the refrigerator or in a bowl on the counter.
When ready to bake the cake, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and gathering all of your ingredients.
Grease a round or square eight inch baking pan, or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set this pan aside.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, and sweetener in a large mixing bowl. Stir until evenly incorporated.
Blend all liquid ingredients with the cauliflower in a high quality food processor until the mixture is completely smooth.
Pour the liquid mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. Do not overmix, which could result in a tough or gummy cake.
Spread the chocolate cake batter into the prepared baking pan, then place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven.
Bake for thirty minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out mostly clean.
Let the pan cool completely before frosting. If you can wait, I recommend very loosely covering the cooled cake with a towel and refrigerating overnight. The taste and texture are ten times better the next day.
After a day, store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for freshness. Or slice and freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.
Readers also like Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Chocolate frosting ideas and tips
For the healthiest option, top your cake with fresh strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or sliced bananas.
Or frost it with a thick layer of decadent Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, or add chocolate sprinkles, diced walnuts, or chocolate ganache and fresh or frozen fruits of choice.
We spread on a four ingredient Healthy Chocolate Frosting and plant based mini chocolate chips for the chocolate cake in the photos.
To ensure whatever toppings you add do not melt upon touching a hot cake, make sure to let the recipe cool fully before decorating.
Healthy Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour (or try this Keto Cake)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp ground flax or 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar or xylitol for a sugar free cake
- 1/4 cup additional sugar OR 1/8 tsp uncut stevia
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or more as desired (do not omit)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups frozen cauliflower (or 3/4 cup yogurt, mashed banana, or pumpkin)
- 1/2 cup milk of choice (omit if using eggs)
- 3 tbsp oil or additional milk of choice
Instructions
- *Flour options that work well include spelt flour, white flour, or some brands of all purpose gluten free flour. For the best results, be sure to use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh, and do not omit the chocolate chips.To make the healthy chocolate cake recipe, start by thawing the cauliflower in the refrigerator or in a bowl on the counter. Preheat your oven to 350F, and grease an 8 inch baking dish. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix very well. Combine all liquid ingredients and the cauliflower in a food processor and blend until smooth, so there are no lumps. (If going with the cauliflower free option, you do not need to use a food processor.) Pour wet into dry, and mix until just combined, then pour into prepared pan and bake 30 minutes. Let cool completely. If you can wait, I recommend very loosely covering with a towel and refrigerating overnight because the taste and texture are better the next day. Frosting options are included above.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy Dessert Recipes
Or these Vegan Brownies
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
How many servings are in this? I’ve made it before and its delicious I could eat the entire thing myself if I don’t stop myself !
If I need/want to bake this in an 8-inch round cake pan (I’m thinking of doubling it to make two layers) how would you recommend adjusting anything, specifically the baking time and/or temperature?
Thanks!
If you bake it in a round pan instead of square, nothing should need to be changed as long as they’re both 8-inch. However, sometimes doubling a recipe doesn’t work, so just be aware and maybe google for tips on successfully doubling recipes. Good luck!
hey katie i would really like to try out this recipe so i was just wondering how long the cake could be kept and how it should be kept. thanks so much in advance!
I have a question about the amount of flour. My 3/4 cup of flour measures to be 90g and 1 cup is 120g. Which should I use? I never know to go by weight or measure when the numbers differ. I can’t wait to make this, but i don;t want to mess it up either! Cauliflower and chocolate sound like a very delightful combination 🙂
Thanks for pointing this out, it must have been a typo! Should be 1 cup. We just fixed it. Sorry for the error!
Jason (media relations)
Thanks for the clarification. I’ve made it twice now and have decided cauliflower and chocolate do indeed belong together. This is by far my favorite chocolate cake recipe 🙂
And for anyone that is wondering about the fresh vs frozen cauliflower – I used fresh steamed cauliflower which worked just fine but then I needed less milk since the cauliflower puree contained more water.
AMAZING! I cut the sugar and omitted the oil. Next time i will cut the chips to 1/2 cup from 3/4. Really cannot believe how good this is! THANK YOU!!!!!
I made this last year for my boyfriend’s birthday, and he wouldn’t share it with anyone. I only told his sister the secret ingredient so she could be in on the laugh, until he finished the WHOLE cake. He took the news pretty well afterwards, with a sheepish grin since he couldn’t backtrack on how much he’d loved it. I’m going to make it again today, possibly in cupcake form to throw off his suspicion! Thank you so much for this delicious, sneaky way of giving people more vegetables!
Tried this yesterday morning and took them to the office. Cut them “brownie size” they were delicious and a BIG hit at home and the office. Served with a small heaping of CoolWhip Lite. I ate mine plan as I go for good taste and low calories. Cut 16 squares which made each square around 67 calories. Really have loved working with your recipes as I tweeek the recipes to see if I can squeeze any calories out with substitutions.
Made these with unbleached all purpose flour, sugar + stevia, vegetable oil, the flax, the cauliflower, & most of a cup of the mini chocolate chips. Topped with healthy peanut butter fudge frosting. These were delicious! So soft & so chocolatey. I hope to try them with dark chocolate chips (chopped) next time for an even healthier goodie!
This cake definitely tasted better with Katie’s frosting and after having been in the fridge for a day. My only addition was a bit of salt and coffee to the frosting. As a note, I’m feeling some indigestion today and wonder if it may be because I used raw cauliflower. Next time I’ll try cooked.
Wow Katie….I had extra cauliflower in the fridge and needed to make something. Your email came in with this recipe and I dared to make it! We loved it. This was amazing. I did steam the cauliflower and it worked perfectly. I can’t wait to try this on others without divulging the secret ingredient!
Question: How long can you freeze this for and how long can you keep it in the fridge?
Yum!!
It’s probably the same as other cakes in terms of how long it will last, so 2-3 days in the fridge, a month-ish frozen 🙂
i always want to try your recipes but it’s all in cups, is there a way for you to start including grams?! i don’t understand why people use cups as a reliable measurement..? it’s so inprecise& i’ve heard of some places having to have different recipes based on the seasons because the density of the ingredients changes! crazy. kitchen scales can cost as low as 15$
Katie used to post both grams and cups and surprisingly got a lot of negative feedback from readers. She still uses a food scale personally. But to convert cups to grams, just look on the labels of ingredients. For example, 1 cup of flour will say on the package that it’s around 120g. One tbsp cocoa powder is 5g, etc.
Good morning! Is the flax added to mimic an egg? Thank you!
Yes pretty much!
Jason
Am I missing something? People posted using real eggs/e1gg replacement, but I don’t see egg as an ingredient in this recipe.
Also, could I sub spenda for the sugar?
Do you measure the cauliflower rice when it is frozen or once it is thawed? I’m assuming the measurement would be different? Thanks!!
Hi, not cauliflower rice, use packaged frozen cauliflower. Measure when frozen 🙂
Not sure if the people who rated the recipe actually made it before giving the rating- most of the comments are just “ooh- this looks so good!”.
The kitchen WILL reek of cauliflower during and after baking. Not fooling anyone in my own home, for sure.
I felt it needed more salt and perhaps some coffee powder to brighten up the chocolate flavor. I used oil and sugar with regular milk so I don’t think the blah-ness comes from a lack of authentic cake ingredients. It was moist and had a decent texture but I cannot imagine anyone that has eaten chocolate cake calling it the best chocolate cake they have ever eaten. I am hopeful that with frosting, my family will at least eat it without complaint.
It should definitely not smell like anything but chocolate. What brand of frozen cauliflower did you use?
Jason
Amazing recipe! Have made multiple times–always a crowd pleaser! Make SURE the cauliflower is completely thawed at or near room temperature! I made that mistake yesterday, and it was a goopy mess (I did not have time to try cooking longer before the party-just had to abandon it)