There is absolutely zero butter or oil in the cake portion of this healthy chocolate cake. It stays moist with a whole lot of unsweetened applesauce, and egg whites are used in place of whole eggs.
Can you use a sugar replacement to bake this Healthy Chocolate Cake?
Yes! The sugar level in the cake is low (just 2/3 cup of granulated sugar) if you want to use regular sugar. In the recipe, I give alternatives to bake the cake with a sugar replacement if you need it to be sugar free. I’ve tried a lot of different brands, but I like the Swerve brand of sugar-free sweetener for baking and sweet treats. It’s the brand that tastes the best to me. If you’re baking this cake for someone who cannot have much sugar, use a sugar replacement. If you are following the Weight Watchers program, use a sugar replacement.
The frosting is made from low fat cream cheese, a cup of powdered sugar (again, I give you a sugar replacement option in the recipe), cocoa powder, vanilla and nonfat milk.
How does a healthy chocolate cake taste?
I brought this cake to a birthday celebration with a bunch of relatives, and I didn’t tell any of them that I had baked a healthy cake. Note that I used regular sugar (not a sugar replacement) in the recipe. I sliced and served, and I waited for their reactions. My mother in law was first (she’s a chocolate fanatic): “Ok, Lori… what’s different about this cake?” My son said, “I can taste cinnamon!” My sister-in-law said, “It tastes like a healthier version of chocolate cake.” They all loved the cake (with the exception of one picky 4 year old, who ate the frosting only). The cake itself has a very different flavor (because of the oat flour). I don’t think the cake part tastes all that fabulous on its own- it’s not super chocolatey and rich. My son argued that fact though and said he loved the cake part. The frosting is more “normal” and there’s a lot of it. Spread over the top of the healthy cake, the frosting really makes it a worthwhile baked treat. See, you can still enjoy dessert when you’re trying to be healthy!
