A Healthier “Death by Chocolate” Cake

Photo by Elizabeth Shaw

It's called "Death by Chocolate" Cake, but it contains a hearty dose of fiber-filled whole grains and even manages to sneak in an entire serving of vegetables.

Oh, and let's not forget the nuts! Using a variety of your favorites will really take the texture up a notch and leave you feeling pleasantly satisfied. You can also rest assured knowing a slice tops out at around 300 calories and less than 2 grams of saturated fat!


"Death by Chocolate" Cake

Recipe by Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RD, CLT

Ingredients
Dry

  • 2 cups white whole-wheat flour
  • ½ cup dry oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ⅔ cup stevia (or other sugar or sweetener of choice)
  • ⅔ cup dark cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

Wet

  • 2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
  • ¼ cup liquid egg whites
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup melted light vegan butter
  • ⅓ cup low-sodium, low-fat cottage cheese
  • ½ cup fat-free milk mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

  • ¼ to ⅓ cup chopped nuts or seeds (such as pistachios, almonds or pumpkin seeds)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients. Gently fold the dry into the wet ingredients, stirring evenly until thoroughly combined.
  3. Pour the batter into an 8-inch spring form pan sprayed with cooking spray, using a spatula to scrap the sides of the bowl.
  4. Bake in the oven for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Remove from oven and let cool.
  5. While cake cools, prepare frosting in a small bowl by adding all ingredients and stirring thoroughly using a hand whisk.
  6. Pour frosting over cake and top with chopped nuts. Serves 12.
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Elizabeth Shaw
Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT, is a nutrition communications consultant, fertility specialist and author based in San Diego. You can find her at ShawSimpleSwaps.com or BumpstoBaby.com. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.