This lightened-up healthy chocolate cake has no oil, but gets its super moist crumb from bananas and applesauce. It’s also whole grain and lower in sugar than typical cake (with no need for frosting!) Go ahead and indulge!
Banana lovers, don’t forget to check out our Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe
Get the kids in here. We have some good news. Chocolate cake? It fits into your family’s balanced eating plan.
This cake is made from 100% whole wheat flour, sweet ripe bananas, and two kids of chocolate. The bananas and applesauce make it tender and moist without the need for added oils. And we’ve reduced the amount of sugar in this cake compared to a typical cake by about a quarter cup (you can actually reduce it further, if you like.)
Not only does this healthy chocolate cake taste amazing and mesh well with a healthy lifestyle, it’s also super easy to make. So gather up those ripe bananas and let’s bake.
What Makes Our Healthy Chocolate Cake So Good
- It’s healthier than typical chocolate cake. This cake is free from added oils, sweetened with fruit, and has less added sugars than typical cake. It’s also made from delicate white whole wheat flour, which is a 100% whole grain flour.
- It’s quick and easy to make. Really, all you need to know how to do here is mash bananas, dump ingredients into a bowl, and stir. It’s really simple! And we bake it in a square pan to halve the baking time compared to baking in a loaf pan.
- It’s moist, sweet, and chocolatey. If you’ve ever made a “healthy” dessert that just didn’t satisfy in the flavor department, this is your cake. You and your kids will love the indulgent double chocolate taste.
- You can freeze it. Satisfy your future chocolate cravings by stashing a few squares of cake in the freezer.
Tips for Baking This Cake
- We used a stand mixer to combine the mashed bananas and sugar. If you don’t have one, a hand mixer works just as well. Don’t have one of those either? Break out a big fork and put those wrists to work!
- If you don’t want to grease the pan, you can cut a square of parchment paper (or a long rectangle, to make a “sling” and put it in the bottom of the pan instead.
- Use an 8×8 baking dish for a healthy chocolate cake that bakes quickly and evenly. You can also use a muffin pan.
Sweet Serving Suggestions
This cake is very good warm, so don’t be afraid to cut yourself and your kids a square soon after it comes out of the oven. (Give it 20 minutes to cool so it doesn’t burn anyone. Not even chocolate is worth a burn.)
Since this cake has no oil in it, you might like to pair it with a glass of whole milk, especially when you’re serving your kids. Milk and cake taste great together, and milk also balances the nutrition in their dessert.
Finally, give yourself permission to ENJOY. Sharing dessert with your kids is part of how we teach them to have a healthy attitude about all kinds of foods.
More Healthy Chocolate Treats
Check out more tasty and healthy chocolate treats. Some of the ones below have no added sugars whatsoever. Neat!
Thick and Creamy Chocolate Mousse
Homemade Chocolate Milk
Healthy Chocolate Hummus
15 Delicious Healthy Chocolate Desserts
Double Chocolate Banana Cake
Ingredients
- 3 medium banana
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips, semisweet
- 1/8 cup mini chips chocolate chips, semisweet
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas and brown sugar until the bananas are mashed and the sugar is dissolved. (Note: you can also use a regular hand mixer OR you can even fork-whisk these ingredients together.)
- Add the applesauce, vanilla, and egg. Mix together.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the top with mini chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick to determine doneness. Best eaten warm.
