4 Ingredient Healthy Chocolate Cake
This healthy chocolate cake is so moist, rich and fudgy. It is just 4 ingredients and made without flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil.
Ingredients
- 355 grams chopped apples (core and seeds removed, apple skin stays on), see note before starting
- 1/2 cup (48 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (160 g) natural peanut butter, no added oils
- 3 tbsp (1.5 fl oz/44 ml) maple syrup
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 line the sides with strips of parchment paper.
- Add the chopped apples, cocoa powder, peanut butter, and maple syrup to a high powered blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Because this recipe incorporates the apple skin, you do want to make sure the mixture is well blended and you want to use a high powered blender that will completely blend the apple skin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the surface of the cake is completely set. The surface of the cake should be dark in color and have some small cracks.
- Let the cake cool completely at room temperature and then put it into the fridge for several hours. While the cake can be enjoyed right away after it is cooled, I do recommend the extra step of refrigeration. This helps the flavors develop better. The cake is also very moist and fudgy, so putting it in the fridge will help it firm up and make it easier to cut. If desired, you can frost the cake before serving. Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Apple note: Make sure to use a sweet apple variety because a lot of the sweetness of the cake comes from the apples. I used Fuji. Leaving the skin on for the apples will help the cake set up better because apple peels contain fiber and pectin.
- Sweetness note: This cake has a very low level of sweetness and is more of a bittersweet chocolate cake. It is meant to be a healthier chocolate cake. You can make it a little sweeter by adding a sweeter frosting.
- Maple syrup note: Maple syrup is used to add sweetness to the cake. You can reduce the syrup if you want to make the cake even healthier. You can also increase the syrup slightly if you prefer sweeter cakes (add 1 tbsp more), but your baking time will also need to be increased and your cake will be more moist
- I used Rodelle Dutch process cocoa powder*
- I used this 6-inch pan.*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Optional chocolate frosting:
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) canned coconut milk (can substitute with 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 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: 176kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 41mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 10g, NET CARBS: 14
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.
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