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slice of healthier chocolate cake on metal plate with banana in the background
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Healthier Chocolate Cake tastes like a double chocolate chip banana muffin! No sugar, butter or oil but uses bananas, greek yogurt and honey instead!

This Healthier Chocolate Cake recipe contains ZERO sugar, butter, or oil. And this is just the first recipe out of several that we’re going to share that is healthier.

tray with baking ingredients - bananas, yogurt, peanut butter, flour, chocolate chips, egg

Is It Even Possible To Make a Healthier Chocolate Cake?

WHAT?! I know.. I was wondering if I was going crazy because butter & sugar are like my BFFs.

I never really saw this day coming.. it wasn’t really intentional. Well, kind of. Obviously with it being January and everyone is jumping on the gym and healthy eating train.. what’s a dessert blogger to do?

I wallowed with a big bowl of ice cream for a while, but than I thought “Is it possible to make a baked recipe with NO sugar?”

All of my friends who are healthy and paleo bloggers are probably laughing right now since that’s their jam, but I set out to discover if this whole no sugar thing could work.

slice of healthier chocolate cake in glass pan

After I baked up this awesome chocolate cake, I was bragging to Ryan that it didn’t have any sugar, but that it’s sweetened by bananas and honey, but being the chemist he is, he totally called me out and said that honey is sugar.

Well yeah.. but it’s more natural sugar I replied, and then he ate like 4 pieces of this cake. Booyah, honey for the win!

Protein balls are another great sweet but healthier treat option to try!

healthier chocolate cake on plate with bananas in background

Healthy chocolate cake ingredients

  • bananas: sweetness and fat
  • greek yogurt: healthier fat compared to oil or butter
  • honey: natural sweetener compared to sugar
  • vanilla: flavor!
  • creamy peanut butter: healthy fat and flavor
  • egg: leavener and binder
  • all purpose flour: gives structure
  • cocoa powder: deep rich chocolate flavor
  • baking soda: leavener
  • chocolate chips: hello, necessary!!

How to make healthier chocolate cake with bananas from scratch

  1. Blend the bananas, greek yogurt, honey, vanilla, and peanut butter.
  2. Pour the blended mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the egg and mix in.
  3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda, mix until incorporated.
  4. Add the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, mix.
  5. Pour the cake into the prepared pan. Sprinkle addition chocolate chips on top of the cake if desired. Bake for 27-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

What does healthier chocolate cake taste like?

The best way to describe this skinny chocolate cake is that it tastes like a GIANT banana chocolate chocolate chip muffin! It’s so good by itself and it’s also really good with ice cream (espresso chip, just in case you were curious!)

Whenever I get a hankering for brownies, I’m going to bust out this recipe. I love that it’s better for me but taste just as good!

More healthier desserts

Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
Healthier Fudgy Brownies
Healthier Banana Bread
Healthy Dark Chocolate Cookies

4.44 from 362 ratings

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Healthier Chocolate Cake

By: Beth
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Additional Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
This healthier chocolate cake tastes like a double chocolate chip banana muffin! No sugar, butter or oil but uses bananas, greek yogurt and honey instead!

Ingredients

  • 3 bananas, ripe
  • ½ cup greek yogurt, vanilla or plain
  • cup honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour **can be made GF, see note
  • cup cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • mini chocolate chips for sprinkling on top

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  • Spray an 8 inch square pan with cooking spray.
  • In a blender, combine the bananas, greek yogurt, honey, vanilla, and peanut butter. Blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
  • Pour the blended mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the egg and mix in.
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda, mix until incorporated.
  • Add the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, mix.
  • Pour the cake into the prepared pan. Sprinkle addition chocolate chips on top of the cake if desired.
  • Bake for 27-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Video

Notes

This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Beth

I believe that everyone should have a go-to dessert to bring to parties! With hundreds of recipes, I'll help you find yours!

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4.44 from 362 votes (355 ratings without comment)

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217 Comments

  1. Hi, this looks amazingly yummy and it’d be the perfect recipe for my dad, who can’t have too much sugar! I was wondering what the purpose of the peanut butter is in this recipe? Is it possible to substitute/omit it? Thank you somuch!

    1. Hi Toni! I haven’t tried it myself but I think doubling the recipe would work!

  2. I have made this twice now and i love it.

    The first time I didn’t want to use a blender because it was late so I used the potato masher, it was noticeably more banana-ish and the texture was very dense and almost fudgey.

    The second time i used the blender and followed it almost exactly and i can honestly say this worked excellently and is now one of my favourite recipes for something sweet and and delicious.

    The only real modification i made was 1 tablespoon extra yoghurt (black swan lactose free yoghurt) because its what i had in fridge.

    The texture is fluffy and moist and rich all at once, i would highly recommend giving this a go if you like banana and chocolate!

  3. I tried this out and it was so goood! I substituted all flour with Half cup ground oats and 1/3 cup whole wheat flour. Used only 2 smallish bananas. Thank you for a relatively guilt free cake :-)

    1. We tried this cake and it was absolutely fabulous. Light, fluffy and rich – almost like a chocolate banana bread.  We used a decadent peanut butter, cocoa and honey frosting to round it off.  
      The cake was so easy to make. Highly recommended – this will be my go to chocolate cake with or without the frosting! 
      Thanks a million for sharing!!!!

  4. I have this cooling on my counter now – I used whole wheat flour instead but otherwise followed your instructions. I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

  5. What can i replace eggs with in this recipie…it looks so yummy…i can’t wait to bake it. Please give me an alternative to egg. 

  6. I made this today, and am amazed by just how moist and decadent this is! Tastes far better than any other traditional chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. I also love that there isn’t any refined sugar in this recipe, makes me feel less guilty about eating this:) thank you so much for posting this recipe. Will be my new go to chocolate cake recipe, you’re a star!

  7. Hi, just making this cake for my 2 year old’s birthday. I just been wondering if you know by any chance how long does it last fresh and how to store it. I have my little guests coming on Monday morning but making it now (Saturday afternoon) as won’t have time tomorrow. Thanks

    1. I made mine 4 days ago and just have it in a plastic freezer bag on the kitchen counter, not as fresh as day one, but still delicious…