Cake - chocolate (healthy)

By tinathorn

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 3/4 cup plain flour/GF flour *see note for other options
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 C unrefined cane sugar/brown sugar**
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Frosting**:
• This makes a small amount of frosting as the cake doesn't need much, but for a full batch - see this Vegan Chocolate Frosting recipe.
• 1 1/2 tbsp lite Nuttelex or other dairy free butter/margarine alternative
• 1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Details

Adapted from southerninlaw.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F.
Grease and line a small cake tin (or cupcake tins)
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate medium mixing bowl combine applesauce, sugar and vanilla and pour into dry ingredients.
Note: if your mix is not wet enough, add in some milk or water until it reaches a thick cake batter consistency. Your climate/temperature/flour etc can all contribute to differences in consistency so use your best judgement!
Mix until just combined and pour into cake tin.
Bake for 20-35 minutes or until cooked through and a skewer inserted removes clean. If making cupcakes, cook for ~10-15 minutes or until cooked through.

For the frosting, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a mixer, adding in the cocoa and vanilla and mixing until combined. If needed, add a couple of drops of milk/non dairy milk until your desired consistency is reached.

*Flour Options
With the flour, you can use:

Gluten free or regular plain flour
1/4 + 1/8C oat flour and 1/4 + 1/8C plain flour (GF or regular)
1/4 + 1/8C wholewheat flour and 1/4 + 1/8C plain flour
1/4 + 1/8C buckwheat flour and 1/4 + 1/8c gluten free flour
I also regularly use Orgran Buckwheat Pancake mix (which has no added sugar) for a light gluten free cake with some added nutrition
**Cheats Tip: Try Cadbury Philadelphia for a super quick and easy frosting. I usually only use about half of a small 140g tub but a little goes a long way!