4 Ingredient Healthier Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake (No Flour, Refined Sugar, Butter or Oil)
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This healthier chocolate cake is soft, fudgy, rich and made healthier with cottage cheese. The cake only needs 4 ingredients and doesn’t contain any flour, refined sugar, butter or oil. The cake takes only a few minutes to prepare and stores well.
This is one of my favorite healthier chocolate cake recipes. The cake is rich and chocolatey while still having a texture similar to regular cake. I also love how easy it is to prepare. Add the ingredients to a blender and then it’s ready to bake.
Ingredients
- Cocoa powder
- Cottage cheese
- Eggs
- Coconut sugar
Cocoa powder: This cake is made with Dutch process cocoa powder. I recommend using Dutch process rather than natural cocoa powder because Dutch process cocoa has a richer cocoa flavor and is not as acidic or bitter.
Cottage cheese: This recipe works best with a high protein 4% cottage cheese. If you use a low protein or low fat cottage cheese, then your cake batter will be too wet.
Eggs: Eggs help create the structure for the cake.
Coconut sugar: Coconut sugar is used to sweeten the cake. You want to avoid using liquid sweeteners for this cake because the cake will be too wet.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
- Add cottage cheese and eggs to a high powered blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Add in the coconut sugar and blend until completely incorporated. Add in the cocoa powder and blend on low speed until the batter is uniform in color.
- Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan.
- Bake for about 1 hour or until the cake is set in the center. The cake will initially be puffed up but will sink a little as it cools.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before cutting and serving. You can also decorate the cake before serving.
Texture
The cake has a fudgy texture but isn’t too moist. The cake is sweet but not super sweet.
Expert Tips
- It may appear that this cake uses a lot of coconut sugar, but coconut sugar is generally less sweet than regular sugar, which is why the amount is increased.
- This recipe works best with a high protein cottage cheese, otherwise the cake batter will be too wet.
- Make sure to use a solid one-piece cake pan and not a springform pan because the batter is very thin and will leak out of a springform pan.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
- 4 Ingredient Healthier Chocolate Cake
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Cake
- 3 Ingredient Healthy Chocolate Cake
4 Ingredient Healthier Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cake
This rich and fudgy chocolate cake is made healthier with cottage cheese. It needs just 4 ingredients and doesn't require any flour, refined sugar, butter or oil.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (452g) 4% high protein cottage cheese, see note before starting
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups (172g) coconut sugar
- 1 cup (83g) Dutch process cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Grease a 7-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom with a parchment round. You shouldn’t have to line the sides but make sure they are well greased. (Make sure to use a solid one-piece round cake pan and not a springform pan. The cake batter will leak out of a springform pan.)
- Add the cottage cheese and eggs to a blender and blend until completely smooth and no chunks of cottage cheese remain. Stop and scrape the sides of the blender as needed. Add in the coconut sugar and blend until the coconut sugar is fully incorporated.
- Add in the cocoa powder and blend on low speed until the cocoa powder is fully incorporated and the batter is uniform in color.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 65-70 minutes or until the center is fully set. (If you shake the cake pan, the center should not jiggle). The cake will initially be quite puffy and slightly cracked on the surface but as it cools it will sink down a little.
- Let the cake cool completely for a few hours to allow it to firm up. This cake is extremely moist and fudgy. The cake tastes sweeter after allowing it to cool and set as well. Once fully cooled and set, loosen the sides of the cake pan with a spatula and then gently release. (I turned the cake pan upside down, releasing the cake onto a plate and then flipped it onto another plate so the cake is right side up.) If desired, you can dust the cake with powdered sweetener or add a frosting before serving.
- Store any uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Cottage cheese note: Try to use a high protein 4% cottage cheese, around 13 or 14 grams of protein per 113 grams serving. I used Amazon Grocery cottage cheese.* You can use Good Culture or Nancy's cottage cheese, but the cake will have a little more tangy flavor.
- Coconut sugar: I used Big Tree Farms Organic Coconut Sugar.*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Optional chocolate frosting:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) canned coconut milk or heavy cream
- 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/heavy cream over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 154mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 16g, NET CARBS: 17
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!
Hi Jennifer. Can we use a substitute for the eggs as can’t use due to some family members can’t eat eggs
Hello! We haven’t tested this recipe with a substitute for the eggs. We do have a similar brownie recipe with no eggs you might like! We also have another chocolate cake recipe with no eggs.
I made it last night for my husband who is a huge chocolate lover, and it was a hit! Dark chocolatey flavor, and not too sweet. I did use regular sugar because I did not have coconut sugar, and I reduced it to a cup because of the note that coconut sugar is sweeter. It turned out great: fudgy and smooth. I love it because it was so easy (everything in the blender), and my daughter also can eat it (she has a wheat allergy). Also reduces the carbs which is helpful since both my husband and I are type 2 diabetics.
I’m so glad the cake turned out well for your family! My family loves this cake too.
Absolutely delicious cake! I used just 1 cup of coconut sugar, and it was still sweet enough; I also added a tsp of vanilla essence. I made a ganache as a light frosting with dark chocolate and cream. YUMM! There’s no way you would know there is cottage cheese as the main ingredient. I have frozen half the cake (sliced) for a treat when I feel like one.
Yum! We’re so glad you loved this cake!
To keep this cake from sticking in the pan I carefully lined the pan with parchment paper. It popped right out.
Yes! We recommend to grease the pan and line the bottom with a parchment round. We’re glad that worked for you!
Could this cake be made with Splenda instead of coconut sugar?
We haven’t tested this recipe with Splenda but a possible replacement could be regular granulated sugar (you would need to reduce the amount used).
Does anyone know the amount of Weight Watchers points per slice for this cake?
We’re not sure! Maybe someone else can comment if they know!
put the recipe into ChatGPT and ask it to calculate for you
I’m saving this to share with my team.
Great! We hope you enjoy it!
Can we use regular sugar?
I did not test this with regular sugar but I think it should work. You would probably need to reduce the sugar amount a little though.
Good luck finding cottage cheese! Every single store in my area is out of cottage cheese! When I find cottage cheese on the shelf, it’s like I found buried treasure.
We know it is so tough to find cottage cheese right now. Hopefully you can find some soon and stock up!
Hi Kirbie .. do you think this recipe would be okay with any of the keto friendly sugar substitutes?
We haven’t tested with a keto sugar substitute so we’re not sure!
You don’t mention how many eggs how much coconut sugar etc. What is the closed thing to coconut sugars
A possible replacement for coconut sugar would be regular granulated sugar (you would need to reduce the amount used). All of the ingredients and the full recipe is always listed at the bottom of every post! You can also click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top and it will take you right there.
Just the amount of times people ask the same questions and accuse you of not providing measurements and frosting recipe is… wow?, your patient and polite answers are more than I could give. Yummy cake, thanks, I was able to find all ingredients and answers to questions by looking ?
Thank you!!
Looking forward to making this. If I used granulated sugar how much would I use as I know it’s reduced? Same with brown sugar.
Thanks!
A possible replacement could be regular granulated sugar (you would need to reduce the amount used) but we have not tested it. We have had another user use 1 cup of regular sugar and someone used brown sugar and had success.
Looks delicious…could I use Swerve in place of the coconut sugar?
We haven’t tested this recipe with a sugar substitute so we’re not sure!
It was tough trying to get the cake out of the pan. It didn’t rise any higher than an inch. otherwise it’s not bad. I’ll have to use the full amount of sugar as I thought it would be too sweet. Great with ice cream though!
Did you use a 7 inch pan? If so, the cake should have rose more than 1 inch. You may have removed it a little too early from the oven.
Can I use a keto sweetener instead? Will it set up the same? Do I use the same amount of keto sweetener?
We haven’t tested with a keto sugar substitute so we’re not sure!
Is there a suitable substitute for the coconut sugar that doesn’t alter the taste or texture of the cake?
A possible replacement for coconut sugar would be regular granulated sugar (you would need to reduce the amount used).
Could riccota cheese be used? Less wet than cottage cheese.
We haven’t tested this recipe with ricotta cheese so we are not sure if the results would be the same, but we think it should work.
Oh WOW! looks sooo delicious, I would make that part of my wedding one day, just love that.
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe so much!
I would love to try this cake recipe. I am gluten free so that would make it perfect. Accept i am allergic to coconut. Is there a substitute sugar that would be light like coconut sugar or a milk replacement I could use in the frosting?
A possible replacement for coconut sugar would be regular granulated sugar (you would need to reduce the amount used). You can use heavy cream instead of canned coconut milk for frosting.
What keto sweetners can you suggest? I don’t use any sugars!
We haven’t tested with a keto sugar substitute so we’re not sure!
Can I use powdered stevia to taste instead of coconut sugar and can we use baking powder..
We haven’t tested this recipe with powdered stevia so we are not sure if the results would be the same and this recipe does not call for any baking powder!
This cake is pictured with a beautiful chocolate frosting. What good is knowing this cake recipe if it doesn’t also come with the frosting recipe? Come on!!
I do provide the frosting recipe. It’s in the recipe notes section.
Very easy and very good.
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Have you tried substituting allulose or other low carb sweeteners instead of coconut sugar?
We have not tested a substitute for the coconut sugar in this recipe!
I don’t like coconut…can I use splenda or regular sugar?
A possible replacement could be regular granulated sugar (you would need to reduce the amount used).
I used brown sugar instead of the coconut. It turned out great! Will definitely make this again!
We’re glad that worked! We’re so glad you enjoyed this cake!
Sounds good!
Thank you!
Delicious and fudge. Pttttrgÿ
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Can’t wait to make this chocolate cake. I am a choc–aholic. Looks delicious!
Let us know how you like it!