Healthy Vegan Chocolate Cake

Fluffy, moist, subtly sweet, oil-free and vegan chocolate cake! (with gluten-free option) Healthy enough for a snack but also tasty enough for dessert. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it, too.

I love chocolate-flavored desserts and over the years I’ve tried out a few different cake recipes, but none of them really suited my taste buds. They were either too sweet or dense or dry or just a little too decadent. I’m all for balance and treating yourself, but sometimes I want a little sweet treat that won’t leave me feeling sick from over-indulgence (who only eats one slice of cake anyway??). SO on a whim I whipped up this chocolate cake a few months ago, not expecting much, but when I cut into it I squealed with excitement because it was actually cooked and not a mushy mess inside?? And it was moist and fluffy and sweet but not too sweet and it actually reminded me of cake and not pudding?? (I’m still excited about it if you can’t tell)

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Along with it being fluffy chocolate cake perfection, it’s also vegan + oil-free, and can be made gluten-free too if you’re into that. In place of oil I used peanut butter, but you can use any nut or seed butter. It’s also not as sweet as conventional cake — I like it that way because then I can eat more of it hehe — but if you like it sweeter you can add up to 1/2c sugar, or make a frosting for it instead.

I made it with gluten free flour in the picture below. I found it didn’t rise as well but it was still moist and fluffy and devoured within 6 hours of baking it (eaten by me and my boyfriend… oops).

This makes a small cake, about 6 servings, so feel free to double the recipe if you’re making it for a bigger group. You can also make a double layer cake with frosting if you’re a frosting lover (I prefer cake > frosting).

Anywho, I hope you love this cake as much as I do! If you try it out snap a photo and tag me on instagram @ellielikes.cooking or leave a comment down below letting me know how you liked it! I love seeing your recreations, and I’m always open to feedback 🙂 Happy baking!

STILL HUNGRY?

Check out these other vegan desserts too!

• oil-free chocolate orange muffins
• Japanese melon bread
• oil-free coffee cake
• oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Fluffy, moist, and subtly sweet oil-free & vegan chocolate cake. Healthy enough for a snack but also tasty enough for dessert.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Vegan

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup flour, spelt, AP, whole-wheat, gluten-free all work
• ½ cup almond meal
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
• ½ cup plant-based milk
• 38 grams dark chocolate, melted
• 1 tbsp ground flax
• 3 tbsp water
• ¼ cup peanut butter
• ⅓ cup applesauce or mashed banana

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. 
  
• Grease an 8″ x 6″ rectangular baking dish and set aside. Or, if you want to make a big, full-sized cake, double the recipe and use a normal cake pan. 
• Mix flax and water together in a small bowl and set aside.
  
• Melt chocolate by microwaving in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds and then in 10-second intervals until melted. Mix between each interval.
  
• Once chocolate is melted, pour in plant milk and heat again for 30 seconds. Mix together until chocolate and milk have combined.
• Sift together dry ingredients (up to salt) in a large bowl. 
  
• Mash banana or pour applesauce into a bowl, then add peanut butter. *Note, your peanut butter should be runny, so if it’s too solid then microwave until soft.
  
• Add in the chocolate/milk mixture, flax egg, lemon juice, and mix together until combined.
  
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
• Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

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