Chocolate Cake
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Recipe Card

Best Healthy Chocolate Cake Ever

A rich, brownie-like cake made lighter with apples instead of butter.

No butter, light on sugar, eat as much as you like.

View ingredients Start Step 1
Chocolate cake on a tray
Brownie-style texture 7 simple steps, photo guided

Love chocolate cakes but hate the butter and sugar part?

Here is my all-time favorite healthy chocolate cake. I bake this brownie-style cake at least once a week.

So what is so special about this one?

This cake replaces butter and other heavy ingredients with healthier substitutes. The result is a chocolate cake you can enjoy freely.

Ingredients

Everything you need for one tray.

  • 200 g dark chocolate (85% cacao)
  • 200 g apple (about 2 apples)
  • 15 g water
  • About 50 g sugar (divided across steps)
  • 3 eggs
  • 50 g flour
  • A pinch of bicarbonate (baking soda)
  • A drop of neutral oil for the tray
Step 1

Chop the chocolate

The original recipe was designed for a Thermomix, which is what I use. These instructions assume a regular blender with a maximum speed around 10.

  • Put the chocolate in the bowl and chop it finely.
  • 8 to 9 seconds, speed 8.
  • Not longer, the chocolate will melt.
  • Pour out the chopped chocolate and keep it aside.
Dark chocolate pieces on a plate Chocolate in a mixing bowl Chopped chocolate in the bowl
Step 2

Cook the apples

Older, softer apples work best. Choose mild apples, they are here to create volume, not flavor.

  • Peel about 2 apples.
  • You need 200 g, cut into small pieces.
  • Add 15 g water.
  • Add 20 g sugar.
  • Heat to 90°C / 194°F for 10 minutes.
  • On a cooking blender: speed 1.
  • Preferably with a closed lid.
  • While waiting, prepare the baking tray with a little oil.
  • After the 10 minutes...
  • Preheat the oven: 180°C / 356°F.
  • Pulse at speed 8 for about 10 seconds.
  • If there are still many small pieces (see images):
  • Pulse at speed 8 for about 10 seconds again.
Apple pieces in a bowl Baking tray with a bottle of oil Baking tray lightly coated with oil Cooked apples in the bowl Pureed apples after blending
Step 3

Add the chocolate and sugar

Time to bring the chocolate back.

  • Add the chocolate you set aside.
  • Add 20 to 30 g sugar.
  • Mix at speed 3 for 10 seconds.
Chopped chocolate with sugar Sugar measured in a bowl Apple and chocolate mixture
Step 4

Add the eggs

The eggs bind everything together.

  • Add 3 eggs.
  • Mix at speed 3 for 10 seconds.
Whole eggs on a wooden surface Cracked eggs in the bowl Eggs mixed into the batter
Step 5

Add the flour and bicarbonate

The bicarbonate helps make the cake fluffy. If you prefer it denser, just leave it out.

  • Add 50 g flour.
  • Add a little bicarbonate.
  • Mix at speed 4 for 10 seconds.
Flour in a bowl Bicarbonate of soda in a spoon Flour added to the bowl Flour mixed into the batter
Step 6

Bake the cake

The oil prevents the cake from sticking to the tray and replaces butter.

  • Spread oil on the tray.
  • Pour the mixture into the tray.
  • Bake for 22 minutes at 180°C / 356°F.
Oil spread in the baking tray Cake batter poured into the tray Batter smoothed in the tray Empty mixing bowl Oven preheating
Step 7

Cool and enjoy

You have a fantastic chocolate cake. Enjoy! :-)

  • Remove the tray from the oven.
  • Wait an hour or two.
  • Enjoy! :-)
Storage tip

Do not put it in the fridge. Keep it at room temperature. On my slow weeks it lasts about a week without a problem. Chilling it will kill the taste.

Cake just out of the oven Cake cooling on the tray Finished chocolate cake Slice of chocolate cake