This Healthy Chocolate Cake is made healthier with whole wheat flour, maple syrup, yogurt and covered in vegan 4 ingredient frosting. It is moist, easy and is every chocolate lover’s dream!
You may also enjoy this almond flour chocolate cake and Greek yogurt cake.
Table of Contents
When I am not enjoying almond flour brownies, I enjoy this healthy chocolate cake! It is moist and not overly sweet. I based it on a vanilla sour cream cake recipe I grew up with in Ukraine. I also blame this healthy cake appearance on a batch of Instant Pot yogurt.
I originally posted this healthier cake recipe back in 2017 and updated it at the end of 2021. Well, just like a good wine, I improve with time aka my baking skills.
The cake itself has very slight modifications. However, instead of using yogurt frosting which was too runny, I included a 4 ingredient thick frosting that you can actually spread. Please see recipe notes for old recipe frosting.
If you are “not a baker”, this recipe is for you. The process and ingredients list couldn’t be more simple!
Ingredients for Healthy Chocolate Cake
For the Cake
- Flour: Whole wheat or spelt flour. I have not tested this cake with all-purpose or gluten-free flour, so can’t say but it is possible recipe will work.
- Cacao powder: Cacao powder is less processed than cocoa powder but either will work. I use unsweetened.
- Eggs: 3 large eggs, no need for room temperature eggs. I also think chia seed egg or flax egg replacer will work.
- Yogurt: You will need regular (not Greek) yogurt with 3% and higher fat content (whole milk) for the cake batter.
- Oil: Any mild tasting oil like avocado oil or light olive oil. Melted coconut oil is great too if you love its taste (I do!). We will use just 1/4 cup.
- Sweetener: Any liquid sweetener will work. I prefer maple syrup because I find honey comes through a bit too strong and makes the cake less sweet.
- Baking essentials: Baking powder, baking soda, pure vanilla extract, salt.
- Boiling water (not pictured): To enhance the chocolate flavor.
For Healthy Chocolate Frosting & Decor
- Coconut milk: A can of full-fat coconut milk (not coconut cream). I believe you can also use heavy cream.
- Chocolate chips: A pack of chocolate chips, chunks or chopped up chocolate bar.
- Vanilla: What’s a frosting without a dash of pure vanilla extract?!
- Salt: Just a pinch because chocolate and salt are a perfect match.
- Chocolate bar (optional): If you would like to decorate with shavings on top like in a photo.
How to Make Healthy Chocolate Cake
Making healthy chocolate cake recipe from scratch is easy. However, baking is a science and for best results I recommend to follow the recipe closely. If you would like to make some substitutions, please see Common FAQs section below.
- Prep: Place two 9 inch round cake pans bottoms down on parchment paper, circle around with pen, then cut out with scissors. Place cut outs inside each pan and spray with cooking spray covering the sides.
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour, cacao powder, baking soda + powder, salt and whisk until you see no lumps. If your cacao powder is lumpy, I recommend to sift it through a mesh sieve pushing with a spoon.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another large bowl, add eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk or beat with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
- Combine into batter and bake: Combine wet with dry ingredients and whisk until smooth (I did have some clumps and cake turned out great!). Add boiling water, and whisk until combined well. Divide batter evenly between two previously prepared pans and bake on a bottom rack for 25 minutes.
- Remove from pans and let cool completely: Remove pans from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Using a spatula, separate the edge of each cake from the pan, flip on a wire rack, peel off parchment paper and let cakes cool completely before frosting.
How do you know it is ready? Chocolate cake should be moist so it is important not to overbake it. When you insert toothpick in the center after 25 minutes of bake time, it should come out with some crumbs attached to it, not clean.
The Frosting Options
I originally posted this healthy chocolate cake recipe a few years back and updated it now. The cake itself has very slight modifications. However, instead of using yogurt frosting which was too runny, I included a 4 ingredient thick frosting that you can actually spread.
Yogurt Chocolate Frosting
If you loved that yogurt frosting, here is the recipe. You will need 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt (2%+ fat), 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/3 cup cacao powder, and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract. Whisk and spread in between layers and pour over the cake.
Healthy Vegan Chocolate Frosting
This is the healthy chocolate frosting you see in the photos here. Essentially it is a ganache. Once chilled, frosting becomes thick enough to spread and we whip it to add fluffiness.
- Just melt the chocolate chips with a can of coconut milk, vanilla extract and salt. Then chill for about 3-4 hours.
- Chocolate frosting is ready when there is a dent from your finger. Whip it up with an electric hand mixer for a few minutes or until a bit fluffy.
Healthy Buttercream Frosting
If you are OK with white color frosting, use this healthier buttercream frosting. It uses a bit of butter, less sugar than traditional recipes and a lot of volume is created with a lighter than butter roux.
This recipe makes enough to frost this chocolate cake. It will become kind of like a Tuxedo cake. If you love cream cheese, healthy cream cheese frosting is also an option, or try thick Greek yogurt frosting which is optionally sugar free!
Tips for Frosting the Cake
I have a few options for healthy frosting to use in this cake. The process will be the same no matter which one you pick.
- Spread a bit of frosting on the plate to prevent it from sliding.
- Place one cake. Then I recommend to spread about 1 cup of frosting for the middle layer.
- Then place second cake on top and spread the rest of frosting for full coverage of the top and sides. I love this offset spatula.
Once assembled, frosting will be a bit soft. I recommend to place cake in the fridge for 3 hours to help it solidify, especially the middle layer.
Topping Ideas
I went with a classic look of chocolate shavings. I used “less healthy” Hershey’s chocolate bar because it has more cacao in it and shaves better. If you would like to decorate with chocolate shavings, using a vegetable peeler shave the chocolate bar into a bowl, then add on top.
Also a chocolate bar will shave better if left at room temperature for 30 minutes beforehand. You can use organic chocolate bar and grate it for fine shavings.
Fresh slices strawberries or raspberries, or freeze dried crushed raspberries will be great! Also try sprinkles for a festive healthy birthday cake. So many options!
Piping
If you would like to take this cake to the next level, piping is an option. You can pipe either the chocolate frosting or buttercream frosting on top. I piped the buttercream in these healthy vanilla cupcakes and it help up very well.
Here is handy piping tutorial that I found.
More Tips
- Springform pans: If using springform pans, keep in mind they are not 100% leak proof and thin cake batter like this one will leak through. Line the base with parchment paper coming up where the sides meets the base to create a “cover”.
- Triple layer cake: You will need 8 inch round baking pans. Bake 20-25 minutes.
- Sheet cake: Use 9 x 13 large baking casserole dish lined with parchment paper and sprayed well. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Cupcakes: Line regular muffin tin with unbleached parchment paper cups or cupcake liners. Fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22-25 minutes. Makes about 30 cupcakes.
How to Store
This healthy chocolate cake recipe is a perfect candidate for make ahead cake. Its texture, moistness or flavor do not change with time.
Making ahead: Bake and cool off the cake layers completely. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Same goes for the chocolate frosting – it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, just whip it up before you are ready to assemble.
If you would like to freeze the cake layers, double or triple wrap them in plastic wrap, place in resealable Ziploc bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours. I have not tried to freeze frosting but I think it will be fine because it is high in fat and low in water.
Storing leftovers: Refrigerate cake covered for up to 5 days. Make sure container is airtight otherwise frosting will dry out slowly. I use this dome cover on top of a cake platter.
Freezing leftovers: Freeze cake tightly wrapped in plastic and then placed in a resealable Ziploc bag. Or in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Common FAQs
Whole wheat flour has a reputation of being heavy. However, this cake doesn’t have a typical whole wheat taste because cacao powder, maple syrup and yogurt cover it up.
It is not overly sweet. It also has a tiny bit of a tang from yogurt. Overall, it tastes sweet enough and delicious to all of us.
I have not tried using any kind of granulated sugar in this healthy cake recipe but I do think it will work. I have tried swapping erythritol for sugar in almond flour banana bread recipe and it worked well.
Please note you will need to add 1 3/4 cups of dry sweetener instead of 1 cup of liquid sweetener. Healthier sugar options are coconut sugar or cane sugar. Please let me know if you try!
I have not tried to make this cake with gluten free flour, however I do believe it will work. I recommend to use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free blend.
If you would like to use almond flour, check out my almond flour chocolate cake. Please note coconut flour will not work in this recipe.
Butter consists of 80% fat whereas oil is 100% fat, so cake might come out on a drier side.
I do not recommend to use less maple syrup because this chocolate cake is not overly sweet. But if you wish, you can – recipe will work.
Yes. Boiling water reacts with cocoa powder and enhances the chocolatey flavor of the cake. It has to be not hot tap water but boiling water because it blooms and hydrates the cacao powder making the chocolate cake more tasty and its texture more fluffy.
More Healthy Cake Recipes
- Healthy carrot cake
- Healthy pumpkin cake
- Gluten free carrot cake
- Healthy coffee cake
- Almond flour cake
- Healthy cheesecake
Moist Healthy Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For Healthy Chocolate Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
- 3/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup plain yogurt 3%+ fat
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or any mild tasting oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup boiling water
For Healthy Chocolate Frosting:
- 14 oz can coconut milk full fat (not coconut cream)
- 2 cups chocolate chips 10 oz bag
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
For Decor (Optional):
- 1 chocolate bar room temperature
Instructions
To Make Healthy Chocolate Frosting:
- We start by making frosting first because it needs to chill. In a medium pot, warm up entire can of coconut milk (cream and clear liquid) just until it starts to boil but not boiling.
- Remove from heat, add chocolate, vanilla extract, salt, and whisk until smooth. It will be runny. Place right in the pot in the fridge to solidify – should take about 3-4 hours.
- Frosting is ready to be whipped when there is a dent from your finger. Whip it up with an electric hand mixer for a few minutes or until a bit fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the cake
To Make Healthy Chocolate Cake:
- Place two 9 inch round cake pans bottoms down on parchment paper, circle around with pen, then cut out with scissors. Place cut outs inside each cake pan and spray with cooking spray covering the sides. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cacao powder, baking soda + powder, salt and whisk until you see no lumps.
- In another large bowl, add eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk or beat with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture to the bowl with wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add boiling water, and whisk until combined well.
- Divide batter evenly between two previously prepared cake pans and bake on a bottom rack for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some crumbs attached to it. Do not overbake.
- Remove cakes from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Using a spatula, separate the edge of each cake from the pan, flip on a wire rack, peel off parchment paper and let cakes cool off completely before assembling.
- When ready to assemble the cake, use about 1 cup of frosting for the middle layer, and the rest will be enough for full coverage of the top and sides.
- To decorate with chocolate shavings, using a vegetable peeler shave the chocolate bar into a bowl, then add on top. Also fresh berries or freeze dried crushed raspberries will be great! Cut into 16 slices, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
My husband doesn’t like maple syrup & is diabetic. Would allulose work?
Any other liquid sweetener will work. Just has to be liquid.
What size of cake pan do you use for this recipe?
9 inch round cake pan.
Thank you for this recipe.
I used 3/4 cup maple syrup + 90gr coconut oil and it was sweet enough.
I used 1cup coconut cream +1cup Macadamia milk instead yoghurt.
It was perfect. Moist and dairy free!
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for leaving a review!
Just tried this recipe. It came out great! I have been looking for a healthier cake recipe that doesn’t come out to dense. The cake is very light and fluffy. I used 1/4c. honey instead of maple syrup. I also used plain nonfat Greek yogurt and 100% stone ground whole wheat flour. I was expecting it to be dense with the changes I made, but it was so light and airy. I am trying to cut back on sugar, so I am o.k. that mine isn’t that sweet. I baked the cake in a large muffin tin that gave me six large muffins. Thanks for the recipe. I will be making this again for sure!
Healthy cake for the win! Thanks for leaving a review!
Love this recipe! Our go to cake recipe for every birthday. Healthier cake for kids and adults love it too, my friends always ask for the recipe! We use plain flour sometimes and works out fine. My husband isn’t that into yoghurt so we just make a standard chocolate buttercream icing to go with! Decorate with smashed up crunchies or flake. Yum!
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback!
Would this work for cupcakes?
I think so.
Thank you for this recipe. I lowered the maple syrup to 1/2 cup and it was still good. The next time I might use closer to 3/4 to try it out. I used spelt flour. I had frosting that was made with coconut cream, cocoa whipped together. It was great and I will be making this again.
Thanks for sharing, Cherri!
Can I use oat flour for this recipe and make cupcakes instead.
And my granddaughter would like vanilla frosting. Do you have a favorite vanilla frosting?
Thank you. We’re looking forward to making these in the morning.
Hi Patty! Take a look at my chocolate muffin recipe here:
https://ifoodreal.com/healthy-chocolate-muffins/
My go-to vanilla icing can be found here:
https://ifoodreal.com/healthy-vanilla-cupcakes/
Hi, can’t wait to try this recipe!
Just a question, if I want a chocolate strawberry flavour, should I try strawberry flavoured yogurt with same fat in batter? Thank you!
Hi Devina! I haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, report back to let me know 🙂
Hi, I want to try out this cake, but just to be very precise, did you use sweetened or unsweetened cacao powder? And is it okay to get any percentage above 3% fat for the greek yogurt?
I use unsweetened, but any cacao or cocoa powder will work just fine. You will need yogurt for both the cake batter and the frosting. For the batter, I recommend 3% and higher fat content. You can use the 3% and higher for a thick frosting too!