30 Minute Healthy Chocolate Cake

This healthy chocolate cake will blow your mind. Moist and gooey and covered in a delicious 3-ingredient healthy chocolate ganache, no one will believe it’s a healthy cake. It’s refined sugar free, dairy free and contains not one but two hidden vegetables!

It’s finally here. The easy chocolate cake of your dreams. A HEALTHY chocolate cake. Or at least a healthi-ER chocolate cake. As one reader put it, “It’s sneakily healthier. So my brain will be happy.”

One of my favourite easy chocolate dessert recipes is this incredible 6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake. It’s oozy, super chocolaty heaven, and I’ll continue making it when I need a delicious crowd pleasing dessert in a hurry.

But as it isn’t the healthiest thing to eat, I thought I’d try to come up with a healthier chocolate cake recipe that tastes just as good.

And it really does!

What’s so great about it?

• It’s really moist and gooey with a rich chocolate flavor. You just CAN’T TELL it’s a healthy cake.  

• It’s covered in a super quick and easy thick layer of healthy chocolate frosting (tastes like mousse!).

• It’s such an easy recipe, made with only 8 easy-to-find wholesome ingredients.

• It’s a very quick healthy cake, out of the oven in just 30 minutes.

• It’s packed with ‘hidden’ superfoods (yes you read that right) – sweet potato and avocado! But don’t worry, you don’t taste either.

• It makes a perfect healthier birthday cake! I made it for my son’s second birthday. I doubled the ingredients and made a ‘digger cake‘. It came out so well!

About the ingredients

There are several ways to make healthy chocolate cakes, of course. But I really wanted to stick to ingredients that you already have in your pantry, or are really easy to find.

This is all you need.

For the cake (7 simple ingredients)

• Self-raising flour: Note that this is not the same as ‘self rising flour’ that you’ll find in the US. To make your own self-raising flour, simply mix 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder into a cup of all-purpose flour. The recipe also works with whole wheat flour!

• Olive oil: I like to use a light olive oil for its health properties. I don’t think you can taste it in the finished cake. You can however use another type of oil if you prefer, such as canola oil, avocado oil or melted coconut oil. One reader even replaced half of the oil with Greek yogurt and said it worked really well although she had to bake for slightly longer.

• Eggs: You’ll need 3 large eggs. It is also possible to make this cake egg free. Check out the FAQ section below for ideas!

• Cocoa: Because this cake has a lovely deep chocolaty flavor, I’d recommend using a high quality unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use cacao powder instead, but it might have a slightly more bitter flavor.

• Mashed sweet potato: Surprise! You’ll need a whole cup of cooked sweet potato to make this cake. No one will taste it, but you’ll feel smug watching everyone tuck into their gooey dessert knowing that it’s got a hidden veggie in it, right?

• Maple syrup: Make sure you get pure maple syrup and not a cheaper maple-flavored syrup (which is really just sugar).

• Vanilla extract: Just a teaspoon for extra flavor.

For the frosting/ganache (3 simple ingredients)

• Avocado: The second ‘hidden vegetable’! As with the sweet potato, you don’t really taste it in the finished cake. Make sure you plan ahead so that you have ripe avocado that will blend easily.

• Maple syrup: More of the good stuff! You can replace with another kind of healthy syrup such as agave syrup or date syrup if you like.

• Cocoa: As in the cake batter, make sure you use a good quality cocoa for the best chocolaty flavor.

So that’s just 8 main ingredients! (plus a tiny bit of baking soda & salt)

How do you make a healthy chocolate cake?

Could this cake get any better? Not only is it a healthier chocolate cake recipe, it’s so quick and easy to make. Even the sweet potato part is simple!

Here’s what you do.

Step 1: Prepare the sweet potato. Cook a medium sweet potato in the microwave until soft (6 to 8 mins). Then split open the skin and scoop out the flesh. It mashes really easily with a fork, or if you’d prefer to get it completely smooth you could pulse it for a few seconds in your food processor.

Step 2: Whisk the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, oil and maple syrup) into the sweet potato.

Step 3: Stir in the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cocoa, salt).

Step 4: Pour into a springform pan lined with baking paper.

Step 5: Bake for 18 minutes for the best results. I know that’s very specific but you want the top to be set but the inside still a little gooey.

Step 6: Let cool completely. Make the frosting while you’re waiting!

I know, I’m cheating a bit by calling this a 30 minute cake. You do of course need a bit of extra time for cooling and adding the frosting!

How to make a healthy frosting

This cake reminds me of a retro Sara Lee chocolate gateau (remember those?). The thick mousse-like chocolate frosting tastes very similar to the Sara Lee version. But of course it’s much healthier.

To make it just blend together the ripe avocado, cocoa and maple syrup. That’s honestly all you have to do. It’ll take just minutes.

You can even make it ahead if you like. Surprisingly, it keeps well. Just cover and keep in the fridge. The avocado won’t go brown.

Does it taste of avocado? Hmmm. If you close your eyes and think about it, yes.

But I don’t mind. I really like the rich, clean, super chocolaty taste and the smooth texture. You could even serve this frosting by itself as a chocolate mousse.

Or use it as a healthier topping for brownies or cupcakes.

What does a healthy chocolate cake taste like?

I remember agonising over what to call this. It isn’t exactly fudge cake, and it isn’t mud cake either. It’s something in between, and the exact texture varies depending on how long its in the oven – or the particular oven you have.

The first time I made it, it was a bit less gooey. Still delicious and moist, but more like a regular cake-y chocolate cake.

But the true magic happened the next time I made it. I took it out of the oven a bit sooner, and I slathered it in the healthy chocolate mousse frosting / ganache.

And it was perfect. As already mentioned, avocado and sweet potato haters can relax because you really don’t know they’re there. 😉

Had mixed results with healthy cake recipes? This is a keeper for me! it tastes like a decadent dessert. It’s so deliciously gooey and chocolaty – but without the guilt!

So if you’ve been searching for healthy cake recipes, maybe the search is over! Enjoy a piece (or two) of this without an ounce of guilt.

How to serve it

This cake really doesn’t need anything else with it. I usually grate a little dark chocolate over the top and I’m done.

But if they happen to be in season, why not pile some strawberries or other fresh berries on top just before serving?

Many readers have also used this recipe for their child’s birthday cake. It’s so easy to double the recipe and make 2 cakes instead of one. I’d also recommend doubling the frosting and using half to sandwich the cakes together and half to go on the top.

You can enjoy any leftovers with a spoon straight out of the bowl!

I even used this recipe to make a digger (construction) cake for my son’s second birthday. It was so easy to make!

Helen’s top tips

• Don’t overbake this cake! The baking time might vary a little depending on your oven, but I find 18 minutes is perfect.
• This can be a single layer, double layer or even triple layer cake. Just double or triple the ingredients, and pour into 2 or 3 round baking pans instead of one.
• If you have any sweet potato left over, freeze for next time!

More things to know (recipe FAQ)

I’m absolutely delighted to have discovered such a delicious (not to mention quick and easy) version of one of my favourite foods. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Need gluten-free? You can use gluten-free flour in this recipe, or try these one bowl gluten free brownies instead. / Looking for healthier party cakes? Try these healthy vanilla cupcakes with a super easy 2-ingredient frosting.

More healthier desserts

• We’ve made these Greek yogurt blueberry muffins again and again, and every time they turn out beautifully. The best part? It’s a low sugar, high protein recipe!
• In the mood for brownies? Try these guilt-free double chocolate healthy brownies with TWO secret ingredients.
• I call these banana bread waffles ‘life changing’ because they taste as good as regular waffles. But they’re made with just 3 super healthy main ingredients – oats, bananas and eggs.
• If you have a food processor or high speed blender, there’s just no excuse for not trying this 5-minute healthy chocolate banana ice cream!
• This 2-minute peanut butter mug cake is perfect for dessert ’emergencies’

Also check out this list of 25 healthier cakes (lower sugar, but still taste great!).

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