Chocolate Cake with Date Chocolate Frosting (no refined sugar & low fat)
This healthy chocolate cake with date frosting is a delicious way to enjoy a rich chocolate dessert without refined sugar or heavy fats. The cake itself is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, while the creamy, fudgy frosting uses fresh dates and cocoa for natural sweetness and depth of flavour. This combo creates a guilt-free treat that’s moist, satisfying, and perfect for anyone looking to bake healthier.
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| Healthier chocolate cake |
| Adding coffee |
| Adaptable chocolate cake |
| Date frosting |
| More lighter cake recipes |
Healthier chocolate cake: Delicious without the guilt
If you love chocolate fudge cake, but the level of sugar and fat concerns you, this chocolate cake with date chocolate frosting is going to change your life. Maybe that’s a tad overdramatic. Well, actually, perhaps it’s not. Made without refined sugar (just maple syrup and dates to sweeten), and naturally gluten free, you literally can have your cake and eat it, my friends.
My blood pressure has been a little higher than I’d like, and I’ve been on a mission to shed some extra weight without feeling like I’m missing out, especially when it comes to dessert. I wanted a chocolate cake that still hits all the right notes but without the usual overload of butter and sugar that traditional recipes call for.
This recipe has no flour at all, using ground almonds instead. This not only adds a lovely moist texture but also brings a bit more protein and healthy fats to the mix. With only 2 tablespoons of butter and just over ¼ cup of maple syrup, this is a much lighter cake.
By cutting down on the butter and sugar and leaning on natural ingredients like ground almonds and coffee, this cake feels indulgent but without the heaviness or guilt. It’s proof that healthier can also mean delicious.
Adding coffee to chocolate cake
And then there’s my not-so-secret weapon that I add to almost every chocolate cake I bake: coffee. I know, it might sound a little surprising at first, but hear me out.
Think of it like this: just as apple pie feels incomplete without a scoop of vanilla ice cream, chocolate cake really benefits from that subtle, rich coffee boost. The magic of coffee isn’t about turning your cake into a mocha-flavoured treat; rather, it’s about enhancing the natural depth and complexity of the chocolate itself.
Coffee has a unique way of intensifying the cocoa’s flavour, making it taste richer, darker, and more indulgent without overpowering the cake or leaving any hint of coffee behind. You won’t get a coffee flavour in every bite, pinkie promise, but what you will get is a chocolate cake that feels more luxurious and full-bodied.
Whether you add a shot of espresso, some strong brewed coffee, or even instant coffee granules dissolved in a little water, the effect is the same: a subtle, flavourful lift that takes your chocolate cake from good to unforgettable. Plus, it’s an easy trick that works with any chocolate cake recipe, making it a quick and simple upgrade every baker should try.
So next time you’re baking chocolate cake, give coffee a chance. It might just become your new favourite secret ingredient.
Adaptable chocolate cake
One of the best things about this chocolate cake recipe is just how adaptable it is. And, honestly, who doesn’t love a recipe that works with what you have in your pantry? Using ground almonds in this version means the cake is naturally gluten free, which is fantastic for those avoiding gluten or simply wanting a moist, tender crumb with a slightly nutty flavour.
But don’t worry if ground almonds aren’t your thing or aren’t on hand. This recipe is super forgiving and can easily be adapted to suit any flour you prefer. Whether you want to use my personal favourite—spelt flour, good old regular wheat flour, or even more alternative flours, you can swap them in without a fuss. Just keep in mind that the texture might change a little depending on which flour you choose. Ground almonds give a dense, moist finish, while regular or spelt flour might make it a bit lighter or fluffier, but the cake will still turn out delicious every time.
Sweeteners are another area where you can make the recipe your own. I often use maple syrup for a natural sweetness and subtle depth of flavour, but you can swap it out for honey, agave, coconut sugar, or even regular sugar if you prefer. Each option brings a slightly different taste and texture, so feel free to experiment until you find your perfect match.
The beauty of this cake is that it’s a flexible base ready to adapt to your tastes and pantry staples. So whether you’re baking for a gluten-free household, trying to cut back on refined sugar, or simply working with what you’ve got, this recipe is designed to make sure you never have to miss out on that rich, chocolatey goodness.
Date frosting: A naturally sweet chocolate frosting
As I wanted to make something that closely resembled a chocolate fudge cake, I needed a frosting that was fudgy but without tonnes of butter and icing sugar. When I discovered that you could make chocolate frosting from just dates and cocoa, my mind was a little blown.
Using dates to create a creamy, chocolatey frosting is a total game-changer. Dates are naturally sweet and have a luscious, sticky texture that mimics the fudginess you expect from a traditional butter-heavy frosting, but without any of the guilt. Plus, by soaking the dates in coffee, you add a deep, rich flavour dimension that perfectly complements the cocoa.
So, I chopped some fresh dates and soaked them in hot coffee (because coffee and chocolate are best friends) before blitzing them with cocoa powder until the mixture turned into a thick, rich paste. And voilà: my chocolate cake with date chocolate frosting was born.
One small disclaimer: This frosting isn’t an exact replica of the ultra-buttery, super-sweet frosting you find on classic fudge cakes, so I’m not going to insist it is. But, man, it is not far off at all. It’s delicious, quick to make, and yours in exchange for just a few simple ingredients. What are you waiting for?
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Banana bread with maple cream cheese frosting
Almond Chocolate Cake with Date Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 30g (2 tbs) butter (melted) - see note 1
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 90ml (¼ cup + 2 tbsp) maple syrup - see note 2
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 45g (3 tbs) ground almonds - see note 3
- 20g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon coffee powder - see note 4
- pinch of salt
Frosting:
- 190g (6¾ oz) fresh dates
- 150ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) hot coffee - see note 5
- 25g (3 tbsp + 2 tsp) cocoa
Instructions
Cake:
- Pre-heat the oven to 175°C / 350℉.
- Line or grease a small (7" / 18cm) springform pan.
- Heat the butter until just melted. It shouldn't be hot, but if it is, allow it to cool down before the next stage.
- Add the maple syrup, vanilla and eggs, and whisk everything together.
- Combine the dry ingredients and whisk into the wet, just until everything is well mixed.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for around 25 minutes (start checking at around 20 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Frosting:
- Chop up the dates into small pieces and pour over the hot coffee (making sure all of the dates are covered in liquid).
- Let the mixture sit for around 20 minutes (until the dates have softened).
- When ready, blitz in a food processor until you have a thick, fairly smooth, paste.
- Add the cocoa powder and process until everything is well combined. Put the frosting in the fridge until ready to use. The longer you leave it there, the more the flavor enhances, and the texture becomes more "fudge" like.
- When ready to assemble, just slather the frosting over the top of the cake. You can leave the cake out on the counter, but if you want a firmer frosting, keep it in the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use any kind of oil instead (coconut, olive or vegetable). Just do a straight swap.
- Use honey if preferred (bear in mind honey is a little sweeter, so you might not need to use as much).
- I used ground almonds but you can use almond flour, spelt, regular, or oat flour instead. Just bear in mind that the texture will vary depending on which flour you use.
- The coffee can be omitted from the cake (and doesn't need a replacement).
- Use hot water if you prefer.
