This healthier chocolate cake is soft, rich and moist. It needs just 4 ingredients and doesn’t require any flour, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The cake stores well and can be made ahead of time.
A slice of chocolate cake on a white plate with a fork

This chocolate cake is made with healthier ingredients while still creating a rich, fudgy, moist cake.

Ingredients

  • Carrots
  • Cocoa powder
  • Honey
  • Eggs

Carrots: Carrots are in season right now and often on sale this time of year, so this cake uses carrots to create a healthier chocolate cake. The carrots need to be steamed until fork tender before using them in the recipe.

Cocoa powder: This recipe uses unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder. I recommend using Dutch process and not natural cocoa powder because natural cocoa powder is more bitter.

Honey: Honey is used to sweeten the cake. You can probably substitute with another liquid sweetener, like maple syrup, but you will likely need to add more of it.

Eggs: Eggs provide structure and add richness to the cake.

How to Make Healthier Chocolate Cake

  • The carrots are steamed until fork tender.
  • The carrots, honey and eggs are blended in a blender until smooth. The cocoa powder is then mixed in.Cake batter in a blender and poured into a cake pan
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until done.
  • Allow the cake to fully cool before removing from the pan. I also like to place the cake in the fridge for a few hours which helps the flavors develop better, but this is optional. If desired, you can also decorate the cake before serving.

A chocolate cake decorated with frosting and chocolate curls

Texture

This cake has a soft, moist, rich texture. It does not have the crumb of a classic chocolate cake made with flour. The cake is lightly sweet. The combination of the carrots and honey gives the cake a slight sweet potato flavor.
A bite on a fork taken from a slice of chocolate cake

Expert Tips

  • This cake works best with Dutch process cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is more bitter and you will need more sweetener.
  • I chose honey as the sweetener because it’s a thicker liquid sweetener so it won’t make the cake batter too moist.
  • You can add a sweet frosting or add a little more sweetener in the cake batter if you prefer a sweeter cake.

A slice of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting on a plate

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4.67 from 3 votes

4 Ingredient Chocolate Cake

This healthier chocolate cake is rich, soft and moist. It is just 4 ingredients and doesn't require any flour, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil.
Servings: 8 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 360 grams steamed carrot slices, see note
  • 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp (65g) Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
  • 7 tbsp (3.5floz/103ml) honey

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
  • Grease a 6-inch round springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom with a parchment round and cut a long strip of parchment paper to line the inner sides of the pan.
  • Add the cooked carrots, eggs, egg yolks and honey to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add in the cocoa powder and blend again until smooth.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until completely set. The surface should no longer be liquidy and the surface be puffed up with some cracks.
  • Let the cake cool completely before releasing it from the cake pan. This cake is very moist and fudgy. I recommend letting it set for several hours before removing. You can also place it into the fridge for a few hours to help it set more firm and to help the flavors develop better. If desired, frost cake before serving (optional frosting recipe provided in the recipe notes). Store uneaten leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Carrot note: You will need 360 grams steamed carrots for the recipe that are steamed until fork tender. The weight is measured after they are steamed. You will need approximately 3 cups of carrot slices (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) to yield 360 grams of steamed carrots (about 3 large carrots but keep in mind carrots can vary a lot in size). You can also use baby cut carrots instead of regular carrots, which are usually a little sweeter.
    • To make steamed carrots, peel the carrots and cut off the ends. Cut them into thin slices, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Add them to your steamer basket and steam on the stove until fork tender. Then measure out 360 grams for the recipe. 
  • Cocoa powder: This recipe works best with Dutch process cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is more bitter. 
  • This recipe uses 2 eggs plus two additional egg yolks. Do not use 4 eggs because it will make the cake too eggy.
  • Optional chocolate frosting:
    • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup (2 ounces) canned coconut milk (can substitute with heavy cream if you don't need dairy-free)
    • Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside. Heat coconut milk in a small pot or pan over medium low heat. Heat until simmering. Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted. Frost over surface of the cake.
  • Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 108kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 49mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 13g, NET CARBS: 15
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!