Cake is a notoriously unhealthy food, but smart ingredient swaps can change that. Cake is a mainstay at celebrations from graduation and birthday parties to weddings. But the traditional version of this treat falls well outside the definition of a healthy food — it’s packed with saturated fat and […]
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Cake is a mainstay at celebrations from graduation and birthday parties to weddings. But the traditional version of this treat falls well outside the definition of a healthy food — it’s packed with saturated fat and added sugar, devoid of vitamins and minerals, and high in calories.
That doesn’t stop many of us from enjoying it, though. In fact, the global cake industry was valued at a whopping 42.94 billion dollars in 2019, according to Grand View Research, and is only projected to grow further.
Believe it or not, though, you can truly have your cake and eat it, too. Doing so requires some simple, nutritious ingredient swaps for unhealthy staples such as olive oil, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and dark chocolate (yum!).
Below, you’ll find healthy and scrumptious cake recipes, which fit in a variety of diet plans — from a typical healthy diet to more stringent approaches like keto and gluten-free diets.
Although a vegetable stars in its title, carrot cake is traditionally not a healthy choice. That’s thanks to the saturated fat and high calorie count that comes from both the cake itself and that fluffy cream cheese frosting.
Yet with a few small ingredient swaps, this dessert’s nutritional profile looks much more promising! For example, using cottage cheese and applesauce in place of butter adds calcium, protein, and fiber where there would otherwise be loads of saturated fat, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Greek yogurt also takes the place of cream cheese in the frosting for a much lower caloric treat without sacrificing on flavor!
Serves 16
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 percent fat cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup lowfat (1 percent) milk or milk of your choice
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract, divided
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup lowfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a round cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a blender, place cottage cheese and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour cottage cheese into a mixing bowl and add applesauce, maple syrup, eggs, milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
- In a large mixing bowl, place both types of flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk together until evenly combined. Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredient mixture. Gently stir until just moistened, being careful not to overmix. Carefully fold in carrots, ½ cup coconut, and walnuts.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 30 to 35 minutes. Once the cake is done, remove from the and allow to cool completely.
- Whisk together Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup coconut.
Nutrition per serving: 236 calories, 10g total fat (3.9g saturated fat), 8g protein, 31g carbohydrates, 3.1g fiber, 15.1g sugar (11.8g added sugar), 329mg sodium
One of the things people miss most when they decide to follow the ketogenic, or keto, diet is dessert! But that doesn’t have to be the case. Angel food cake is a light and delicious dessert, and this version features almond flour and a sugar substitute to make it keto-friendly. At only 6 grams of net carbs per slice, this is a dessert you can feel good about enjoying regardless of whether you’re on keto. This cake’s low carb count also makes it well-suited as a diabetes-friendly dessert, to boot. Serve with a garnish of your favorite keto-friendly fruit.
Serves 12
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup egg white protein powder
- 10 large egg whites at room temperature
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar substitute
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of an angel food cake pan with parchment, but don’t grease the sides of the pan. (If you don’t have an angel food cake pan, the cake will likely stick to the sides of the baking pan.)
- Sift together almond flour and protein powder and set aside.
- Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl with the salt and cream of tartar. Use a hand mixer to mix until bubbles begin to form. Gradually add sugar substitute and continue to beat until soft peaks form. At the very end, mix in both extracts.
- Gently fold the flour mixture into the eggs, one third at a time, being careful not to deflate the eggs.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool upside down and carefully run a butter knife around the edge of the cake before removing it from the pan.
Nutrition per serving: 120 calories, 6g total fat (0g saturated fat), 10g protein, 15g carbohydrates, 1.2g fiber, 1.4g sugar (0g added sugar), 98mg sodium
In general, cakes are large and having them laying around the house can prove to be too tempting even for the most self-disciplined healthy eaters. If you have celiac disease or are following a gluten-free diet for another reason, it can also be difficult to find a delicious cake you can enjoy. This mug cake is here to solve all of these problems.
Completely gluten-free and only one serving, this is a cake you can enjoy without worrying about what to do with the leftovers. Add to that the fact that dark chocolate contains several of the valuable nutrients your body needs, including fiber, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and you’ve got the perfect way to round out your dinner.
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Place all ingredients in a microwave-safe mug. Whisk together until just combined. Wipe any excess off the top of the mug.
- Microwave on high until the cake is cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to overcook.
- Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
Nutrition per serving: 293 calories, 19g total fat (2.5g saturated fat), 11g protein, 23g carbohydrates, 6.3g fiber, 13.5g sugar (12.6g added sugar), 65mg sodium
Who doesn’t love the beauty of a bundt cake? Like other cakes, though, they’re loaded with added sugar and saturated fat — the traditional versions, that is. In this recipe, the focus is back on the fruit. and in place of sat fat, you’ll find nonfat Greek yogurt (which adds protein and calcium, according to the USDA) and olive oil (which is packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, per Harvard Health Publishing).
Serves 16
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- ¾ cup light tasting olive oil
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously spray a standard bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together yogurt, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla and eggs.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients. Gently mix together until just moistened. Add blueberries and stir as little as possible.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Nutrition per serving: 248 calories, 12g total fat (1.8g saturated fat), 6g protein, 31g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 11.7g sugar (9.1g added sugar), 140mg sodium
Everyone should be able to enjoy a cupcake! While most cakes and cupcakes are made with eggs and dairy, those ingredients aren’t necessary for a delicious cupcake. These delightful vegan cupcakes prove it.
In this recipe, you’ll use whole-wheat flour, which contains more than twice as much fiber and additional B vitamins, as compared with all-purpose flour, according to the USDA. Additionally, cashews help create a yummy, nutritious, and completely vegan frosting.
Serves 12
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups raw, unsalted cashews
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat cake flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract, divided
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Directions
- Place cashews in a bowl and cover them with water. Leave to soak for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight. Once cashews have been soaked long enough, proceed with making the cupcakes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place liners into each slot in a standard-size muffin tin.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together cake flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 1 cup of water.
- Make a well in the flour mixture and add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Gently stir until just moistened.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared 12 muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. All the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Drain cashews and lightly dry them with a clean paper towel. Place cashews in a blender or food processor and add the almond milk, maple syrup, and remaining teaspoon of vanilla. Blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
Nutrition per serving: 255 calories, 12g total fat (1.3g saturated fat), 4g protein, 32g carbohydrates, 1.3g fiber, 16.1g sugar (15.1g added sugar), 159mg sodium
