Indulge in the decadence of this chocolate cake, which not only delights the palate but also maintains a commitment to healthiness. Its moist texture and versatility—suitable for both single and double layers—make it a tasty treat.

What makes this cake a healthy option are four key ingredients:

1. Cacao Powder: The quality of cacao powder plays a significant role in enhancing both taste and nutritional value. Through careful selection using my nutrition app, I’ve found a brand that stands out for its excellence, devoid of additives or synthetic herbicides. This cacao powder is rich in protein, fiber, and essential minerals like magnesium, iron, potassium, and calcium. Despite its nutrient density, it’s low in sugar and salt, making it a superior choice for health-conscious baking.
2. Whole Grain Flour and Dates: By incorporating whole grain flour—such as whole spelt or small spelt (petit épautre)—and dates, this cake boasts heightened nutritional benefits and increased fiber content. Fiber not only aids in digestion but also helps mitigate blood sugar spikes, potentially reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, the inclusion of whole grains and dates adds depth to the cake’s flavour profile while enhancing its healthfulness.
3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Unlike butter or refined vegetable oil, extra virgin olive oil contains more heart-healthy fats and antioxidants. Adding extra virgin olive oil gives the cake a moist texture that lasts a long time and a unique depth of flavour, particularly in chocolate cakes.
4. Sweet Potato Frosting: To top it off, the frosting is a delightful blend of baked sweet potato flesh, melted dark chocolate (70-80%), and plant milk (I used half almond and half coconut milk). This creamy concoction contains no butter or granulated sugar, yet achieves a silky texture reminiscent of traditional butter-based frostings. Rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, this frosting complements the cake’s health-conscious ethos.

In summary, this chocolate cake offers a harmonious balance of indulgence and nutrition. By prioritizing quality ingredients and mindful baking techniques, it proves that healthy treats can be just as satisfying and visually appealing as their conventional counterparts.

Healthy Decadent Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups (280 gr) small spelt flour or whole spelt flour (farine de petit épeautre ou d’épeautre complet ) *see note
• ¹/₄ cup (42 gr) Mascobado cane or coconut sugar
• ¹/₂ cup (60 gr) 100% cacao powder
• 2 teaspoons (tsp) baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¹/₂ tsp salt

*Note: For the flour, I’ve made this cake with both types of spelt flour — small & whole spelt. They are both whole flours, although the small spelt (farine de petit épautre) is more delicate and has a finer texture and milder flavour. Small spelt flour is mostly available in France and in health food stores, so it may be difficult to find it in North America. Although I’ve never tried, you can also use whole wheat flour. I recommend using White Whole Wheat Flour, which is available in North America and other parts of the world (but not where I live).

Wet ingredients

• 5 medjool dates (about 112 gr)
• 1 cup boiled water
• 1 tablespoon (tbsp) balsamic or apple cider vinegar
• ¹/₂ cup (125 ml) olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• 1¹/₄ cup (310 ml) plant milk, warm / heated in microwave — I used unsweetened almond milk

PROCEDURE

Equipment:

• A blender
• Two small round 17cm (7 inch) springform pans for a double layer cake.
• One round 20cm (8 inch) springform pan for a single cake. 
• Line pan bottom(s) with parchment paper & lightly grease sides.

Oven: 180°C / 350°F

1. First, measure /weigh all your ingredients, having them ready to go. Then, heat up your oven. It makes a difference when you heat up the oven. If you heat it up too early, it can get too hot!

2. Boil water. Remove pits from the dates and put date flesh into a small bowl. Cover flesh with 1 cup of boiled water. Allow date flesh to soften for 5 minutes.  Note: You will keep this water for step 3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, hand mix all of the dry ingredients, until combined.

3. In a blender bowl, add the soft dates along with the boiled water, vinegar, olive oil, vanilla and heated milk. Blend until creamy. If your blender bowl is not big, set aside the heated milk and add it separately in step 4. 

4. Pour the creamy mixture into the dry ingredients and hand whisk until well combined. Do not over whisk. You can add the heated milk here if you did not add it to your blender. 

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake in preheated oven:

• With 2 small round pans, bake them together on middle rack for 23-26 minutes.
• With one round pan, bake on middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes.

6. Bake until top is cracked and a toothpick test comes out clean or with a thin stain of brown moisture (the dates leave a thin film).

7. Remove from oven and let cake(s) cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Then run a small dull knife along the edges to loosen up the sides. Continue to let the cake(s) cool completely on rack and in pan(s).

8. Remove the cake(s) from the springform pan(s).

9. Transfer onto a platter and frost the cake with a frosting or cream of choice. See recipe below to make a healthy sweet potato chocolate frosting.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Frosting

Equipment: A handheld blender and microwave

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (260 gr) sweet potato flesh, hot or heated in microwave (from 1 large / 2 medium baked potato). CAN BAKE POTATO & SCOOP OUT FLESH THE DAY BEFORE *see note 1
• ^1/₂ cup (125 ml) plant milk, hot or heated in microwave — I use half almond & half coconut milk (¹/₄ cup each) * see note 2
• 150 gr 70-80% dark chocolate, melted

*Note 1: To bake sweet potato, wash potato and make some slits with the point of a small knife. Bake in a pan, on middle rack in preheated oven set at 220°C / 425°F.  Depending on potato size, baking time ranges between 45-60 minutes. Bake until the potato is VERY TENDER. To check it, the tip of a small knife should pierce and slide in easily. When done, let the potato cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Then slice the potato in two and allow to cool further. Scoop out the flesh and transfer this into an airtight container. Store in the fridge or leave on countertop until ready to make the frosting.

* Note 2: I recommend adding 1/4 cup of coconut milk to your plant milk for a more creamy, silky frosting . I used Thai Kitchen Bio Coconut Milk specific for cooking/baking. For the plant milk, you can sub. the almond milk with oat milk.

PROCEDURE

1. Bake the sweet potato in the oven (see instructions in note above) and scoop out the flesh. This can be done the day before.

2. Measure 1 cup of the sweet potato flesh. Store any leftover flesh in the fridge or freezer.

3. On stove top, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. For best results, I do not recommend melting the chocolate in microwave.

4. In a medium-size bowl, add the sweet potato flesh and plant milk and heat these up in the microwave until hot to touch. These have to be hot in order to blend with the hot melted chocolate. 

5. With a handheld blender, blend together the heated potato flesh and plant milk until creamy.

6. Add the melted hot chocolate and whisk until fully combined and thick.

7. You can frost your cake. The frosting gets thicker with time. Store leftover cake in the refrigerator in a big container or on a dish and covered with a large bowl turned over the cake.

Enjoy!