We've rounded up 25 of our favorite healthy cake recipes that are perfect for when you want a lighter dessert or snacking cake.
Who doesn't love cake? It's the best. We're sharing some gluten-free cakes, vegan cake recipes, healthy chocolate cake ideas, and fruit-forward cakes. If you're looking for healthier cake options - we've got something for you!
What Makes These Healthy Cake Recipes?
Everyone has their own definition of a healthy cake. We've sorted delicious cakes we've found by type so you can decide!
Some recipes are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, made with whole wheat flour, and/or vegan. We've rounded up the best healthy cake recipes in five categories.
Check them out, and in the comments below, let us know what you make or what your favorite cake recipes are!
Healthy Cakes with Fruit
- Healthy Raspberry Cake - This fresh raspberry cake recipe is bursting with fresh raspberries! You'll use 2 pints of raspberries to top the cake - making for a beautiful and fruit-forward dessert.
- Easy Blueberry Cake - This deliciously fresh and easy blueberry cake recipe is perfect to make with your fresh berries!
- Blood Orange Upside Down Cake - This Blood Orange Upside Down Cake is made by pouring cake batter over blood orange slices, creating such a pretty baked cake. It comes together quickly, giving you the perfect excuse to make a cake.
- Cranberry Cake - This festive cranberry cake with almonds, sugared cranberries, and rosemary is a holiday-worthy dessert.
- Easy Rhubarb Cake - This rhubarb cake is made with a mix of all purpose flour and almond flour to enhance the flavor and texture and can be made with fresh or frozen rhubarb. It's loaded with a whole pound of rhubarb, and every bite has heavenly pops of juicy, sweet, and sour rhubarb goodness.
- Apple Cake - This healthy apple cake is sweetened with maple syrup and is so moist and delicious. The included cinnamon glaze takes this cake over the top.
Gluten Free Cakes
- Gluten-free Vegan Carrot Cake - Make this easy cake in one bowl, with just 15 minutes to mix up the batter. It includes coconut oil and almond butter instead of butter and a blend of oat flour and almond flour instead of all purpose flour. Topped with a delicious refined sugar-free & vegan cream cheese frosting, it's sure to be one of your favorite healthy carrot cake recipes!
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cake - This healthy Almond Flour Chocolate Cake is dense but fluffy with a tender crumb and a delicious gluten-free chocolate cake recipe. Made with just seven ingredients, naturally sweetened and oil-free, no one would guess this flourless chocolate cake is healthy OR gluten-free!
- Gluten-free Banana Cake with Vanilla Frosting - Mashed ripe bananas add moistness and natural sweetness to this decadent Gluten-Free Banana Cake with Vanilla Frosting. Make this cake for a special occasion, and watch as it disappears!
- Strawberry Oatmeal Cake - This gluten-free strawberry oatmeal cake is light and refreshing. The only added sugar is from a bit of coconut sugar. No refined sugar here. It's perfect for dessert or an afternoon snack.
- Ricotta Almond Fig Cake - Made with delicious figs and almond and cashew flours, this gluten-free fig cake is infused with almond extract and kept super moist thanks to ricotta. Its subtle sweetness makes it perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Vegan Cake Recipes
- Vegan Pumpkin Cake - This pumpkin pudding cake is a cross between a lava cake and a pumpkin pie! With a creamy pumpkin pudding layer, crunchy pecans, and a moist pumpkin spice flavored cake.
- Vegan Chocolate Cake with Strawberries - This Oil-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake with Strawberries has a rich chocolate flavor, is moist, and is easy to make. With tender strawberries, sweet chocolate chips, and a fudgy, brownie-like flavor, no one will believe this is a healthy-ish, whole-grain cake! You can substitute gluten-free flour (1:1) for whole wheat flour if you are gluten-free.
- Vegan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake - This vegan mug cake allows the flavors of fall to shine! It’s reminiscent of apple cider doughnuts in a fast and convenient single serving option.
- Vegan Chocolate Snack Cake - This low-sugar and vegan chocolate snack cake uses a banana to reduce the sugar and is made with olive oil and whole-grain spelt flour for a healthier version of a chocolate cake.
Healthy Bundt Cakes
- Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake - This mandarin orange bundt cake recipe is fruity and delicious. It’s a wonderful winter recipe and makes for a great dessert at a holiday dinner or weekend brunch.
- Gluten Free Vegan Lemon Cake - You’ll love this easy-to-make Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Cake! All you need are two bowls, one pan, and 10 minutes to mix up the batter. The cake has a moist and airy crumb. Top it all off with a tangy lemon drizzle!
- Healthy Chocolate Bundt Cake - This is the best chocolate bundt cake! It’s extremely rich and chocolaty, even with no refined flour or sugar.
- Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake - This healthier Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake is a lightened-up version of a seasonal classic. It includes a few healthy ingredient swaps, like Greek yogurt and coconut oil, and the best-ever orange glaze.
Healthy Chocolate Cakes
- No Bake Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake - This is an easy vegan no-bake cheesecake that's silky, creamy, and smooth! It’s refined-sugar free, 100% natural, and an absolutely delicious healthy chocolate cake recipe.
- Chocolate Date Walnut Cake Recipe - One bite into a slice of Chocolate Date Walnut Cake, and you get the crunch of walnuts along with the beautiful sweetness of dates.
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake - This gluten-free chocolate cake is a blender cake with just a few ingredients and comes together in under an hour!
- 30-Minute Healthy Chocolate Cake - This healthy chocolate cake includes sweet potato, cocoa powder, and avocado. Made with only 8 main ingredients.
- Mango Chocolate Cake - This tasty mango chocolate cake is a simple and easy cake recipe that tastes delicious. A double layer chocolate cake base, lightly covered with a mango buttercream.
Unique Healthy Cakes
- Strawberry Tahini Cake - This strawberry tahini cake is surprisingly easy to whip up and has all the flavor! It's a great snacking cake and goes well with tea or coffee.
- Healthy Coffee Cake with Almond Flour - Similar to Entenmann's Crumb Coffee Cake, but made with almond flour, coconut sugar, and chocolate chips for a healthier twist.
- Light and Fluffy Chiffon Cake - Learn how to make this light and fluffy vanilla chiffon cake with this simple, easy-to-follow recipe!
- Healthy Pineapple Carrot Cake - This healthy pineapple carrot cake is a lighter version of a classic spring dessert. This moist carrot cake is easy to make, is lower in sugar & has no butter or oil!
- Coconut Flour Cake - Sweet and tender Coconut Flour Cake made with coconut & tapioca flour. You only need one bowl and eight ingredients to make! This cake uses honey or pure maple syrup to sweeten and is gluten-free, paleo, and nut-free.
- Healthy Cranberry Coffee Cake - This Healthy Cranberry Coffee Cake is the perfect, cozy fall breakfast or dessert. It's dairy-free and made without refined sugar or flour.
Storing Leftover Cake
It's best to check each recipe for storing instructions. But as a general rule, you can store most cakes (including those with frosting) at room temperature for two or three days.
Store baked cakes in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freezing most cakes works surprisingly well. Just make sure to cool the cake and completely wrap it in plastic wrap. If you want to store it and eat it in single servings, you can slice the cake before wrapping it. The cake can be frosted or unfrosted. You'll leave it out at room temperature for a couple of hours to thaw the next time you have a sweet tooth.
Healthy Cake Recipes
Try one of our favorite healthy cake recipes - this tasty snack cake with raspberries is a fresh and delicious dessert.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (plus 2 teaspoons for topping)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup skim milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 pints raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk, and vanilla to the bowl and mix till combined.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl till combined. Then add half the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Stir till flour is incorporated. Add the remaining dry mixture and stir to combine. Beat for 1 minute until the batter is fluffy.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and spread till you have an even layer.
- Place the raspberries on top in a single layer. Sprinkle additional 2 teaspoons of sugar on top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Test the cake with a wooden skewer or cake tester to see if the center is fully baked before removing it from the oven.
- Let the pan cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before removing the cake and cutting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 188mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 6gSugar: 23gProtein: 5g