Best Whole Grain Chocolate Cake Recipes

WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE-COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Whisk whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Whisk brewed coffee and espresso powder together in a large bowl. Add Greek yogurt, applesauce, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract; whish until thoroughly combined and no lumps remain. Stir in 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan and place the pan onto a baking sheet.
• Place both pans in the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Gently run a table knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Remove the sides of the pan and allow cake to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes more.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CAKE (WHOLE WHEAT, GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN OPTIONS)

Steps:

• If using honey, preheat your oven to 325 °F (167 °C). If not using honey (which bakes quicker than sugar, hence the lower temperature), preheat to 350 °F (175 °C).
• Line 2 round 8" cake pans with parchment paper on the bottom and then grease the sides of the pans.
• In a large bowl, stir together the sugar (if using honey, don't add it yet), flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Add eggs, milk, honey (if using), olive oil and vanilla. Mix for 2 minutes on medium and then stir in the boiling water. The batter will be almost as thin as water. If you taste it, it will NOT taste good! But don't worry. It tastes great after baking.
• Divide the batter between the two pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs, but no uncooked liquid. The bake time will vary widely depending on what combination of sugar / eggs / flour you use. The whole wheat / egg / honey version is on the longer side. The gluten-free / chia egg / honey version is on the shorter side.
• Let cool completely before frosting.

WHOLE-WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a light-colored metal 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the two long sides.
• In a large bowl, vigorously whisk eggs and brown sugar until light and smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Add the sour cream, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and salt, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the baking powder and baking soda.
• Add both flours and all but one 1 heaping tablespoon of the chocolate chips. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon of granulated or turbinado sugar and a sprinkle of salt. Bake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a bit of melted chocolate, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Carefully run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan not protected by the parchment paper. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then, use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it back on the rack to cool completely. Keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Stir together sugar, flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Combine butter, water and cocoa in saucepan.
• Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat.
• Pour into flour mixture.
• Mix well, using wooden spoon.
• Blend in eggs and sour cream, mixing well.
• Pour batter into greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
• Bake in preheated 375 degree F. oven 30 minutes or until cake tests done.
• Cool in pan on rack.
• Meanwhile prepare Cocoa Frosting.
• COCOA FROSTING: Combine butter, milk, and cocoa in saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture is smooth.
• Stir in confectioners' sugar, that has been sifted.
• Continue cooking over low heat until confectioners' sugar is completely dissolved.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Frost cake immediately.
• Pierce warm cake with fork.
• Pour Cocoa Frosting over all.
• Cool completely.
• Cut into squares.