4 Ingredient Healthier Chocolate Cake (No Flour, Refined Sugar, Dairy, Butter or Oil)
This healthier chocolate cake looks and tastes like regular chocolate cake. It is just 4 ingredients and doesn’t require any flour, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil, but you won’t be able to tell. The cake is soft, moist and has a texture like a cake made with flour.
This is my favorite chocolate cake to make for family. I love that it looks, tastes, and has a texture like classic cake. You can’t tell that it’s made without any flour.
Ingredients
- Cocoa powder
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Honey
Cocoa powder: The cake is made with Dutch process cocoa powder. I recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa powder because Dutch process cocoa has a richer cocoa flavor and is less bitter and acidic than natural cocoa powder.
Peanut butter: Make sure to use natural peanut butter with no added oils. If you don’t want peanut butter flavor in your cake or need a substitution for peanut butter, you can also make this cake with cashew butter with no added oils. If you make the cake with cashew butter, you don’t really taste the cashew flavor but the cake texture will be more brownie-like.
Eggs: Eggs help the cake rise. When mixed with the peanut butter, it also creates a crumb texture without the need for flour.
Honey: Honey is used to sweeten the cake and it also helps contribute to the texture of the cake.
How to Make Healthier Chocolate Cake
- The eggs and honey are added to a stand mixer and beaten on high speed for about 8 minutes.
- The peanut butter is then folded in with a spatula.
- The cocoa powder is sifted in and then folded into the batter until it is uniform in color.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan. Bake the cake for about 40 minutes or until done.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before serving. You can also decorate the cake with chocolate frosting and chocolate curls.
Texture
This cake has a crumb that is soft, moist and slightly bouncy, similar to classic cake. The cake is sweet but not super sweet.
Expert Tips
- I recommend using a stand mixer and not a hand mixer. A stand mixer is generally more powerful. If you use a hand mixer, you may need to increase the amount of time you need to whip the eggs and honey for.
- The cake needs to be baked at a slightly lower temperature than a typical cake because of the honey.
- Make sure to fold in the peanut butter and cocoa powder with a spatula. Using a whisk will cause the mixture to deflate too much.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Cake
- 4 Ingredient Chocolate Cake (No Eggs)
- 3 Ingredient Healthy Chocolate Cake
4 Ingredient Healthier Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp (5.5floz/163ml) raw honey
- 3/4 cup (192g) natural peanut butter with no added oils
- 6 tbsp (33g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 7-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 eggs and honey to a bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on highest speed with wire whisk attachment for 8 minutes. The mixture should become more than triple in volume towards the end of mixing. When you stop the mixer, the mixture will deflate but should still be more than double in volume. See photo in post for reference.
- Add in the peanut butter and gently fold it in with a spatula until it is fully incorporated.
- Sift in half of the cocoa powder through a fine mesh strainer and use your spatula to fold in the cocoa. Then sift and fold in the remaining cocoa until all of the cocoa is evenly incorporated and the batter is uniform in color. Make sure to sift in the cocoa powder because the batter is very wet and the cocoa will clump up and not mix well if you don't sift it in.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is just set.
- Let the cake cool for about 1 hour before releasing it from the cake pan and placing onto a wire rack to finish cooling. When ready to serve, cut the cake with a large sharp knife. You can also decorate the cake before serving. Uneaten cake can be stored for 1-2 days at room temperature and longer in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- You can reduce the honey by about 2 tbsp if you want to reduce the sugar in the cake.
- Make sure to bake at 325F and not 350F. 350F is too high of a baking temperature and will cause the exterior of the cake to overcook before the cake is done.
- Make sure to use peanut butter with no added oils.
- I used Kirkland Peanut Butter,* Rodelle Dutch process cocoa powder* and Kirkland Signature Raw Unfiltered Honey* to make this recipe.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Optional dairy-free ganache frosting:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk
- Add chocolate chips to a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat coconut milk until almost simmering and pour over chocolate. Let it sit for about 30 seconds. Stir with spatula until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. If your chocolate is not completely melting, you can put the mixture in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds and stir again until smooth and melted. Frost surface of cake with ganache. You do not need to use all of the frosting.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
I have made this recipe with great results in an 8×4 loaf pan, same time/temp.
We’re glad you had great results with this recipe!
Can the honey be substituted for maple syrup?
It does not work with maple syrup.
What would be an ideal sub for Natural Peanut butter. Due to peanut allergy must be peanut free.
Tahini or seed butter?
You can also make this cake with cashew butter with no added oils. If you make the cake with cashew butter, you don’t really taste the cashew flavor but the cake texture will be more brownie-like.
Can I use a Bundt Pan for this recipe?
We have not tested in a bundt pan. We recommend springform because it helps the cake rise better.
Hi! I was wondering if I could make this with maple syrup instead of honey?
Absolutely excited to make this either way!
It does not work well with maple syrup
Can you do choc cake recipe in an air fryer please
We do have this chocolate mug cake made in an air fryer you might like!
What are the measurements of the ingredients?
You mentioned all the details except the most important part ??
All of the ingredients and amounts are listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card! You can also click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top and it should take you right there.