Healthy Birthday Cake (Fruit-Sweetened!)

healthy birthday cake sliced with sprinkles.

Healthy Birthday Cake (Fruit-Sweetened!)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy birthday cake

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Calories: 178kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

This is the healthiest cake you'll ever make, but it's shockingly delicious. This recipe is 100% fruit-sweetened, gluten-free, dairy-free, and oil-free, and you only need to blend a handful of simple ingredients to get started. By the time the oven preheats, it's ready to bake! If you're skeptical, read the glowing reviews before you try it.

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Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup Medjool dates , pitted (8 ounces)
¼ cup water
1 cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Optional Topping

1 batch healthy chocolate frosting (or any other variety you like)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease one 8-inch pan or two 6-inch pans with cooking spray. (I also like to line them with parchment paper to ensure easy removal later.)
In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, dates, and water and blend until smooth. (If using the food processor, I like to start with only the water because it can splash so much. Add in the eggs once the dates have broken down a bit, to avoid splashing.)
Add in the almond butter, vanilla, baking soda, and salt and blend again until a smooth batter is formed. Alternatively, you can pour the blended date mixture into a large bowl, then stir in the other ingredients, so your blender won't have to blend anything too thick.
Divide the batter among the prepared pan(s), and smooth the top with a spatula. (They won't be very full, but will rise as they bake.) Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden on top. The cake is done when the center feels firm to the touch.

When baking a single cake, rather than dividing it into two pans, I recommend turning the pan halfway through the baking time. Ovens don't always heat evenly, so this will prevent your cake from developing a dark spot as it cooks.

Cool completely before removing the cake from the pan, then frost with your favorite frosting and serve. This cake can be served and stored at room temperature for at least 2 days, but for best shelf life I recommend storing it in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to a week.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 slices. This does not include frosting and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

You can swap the dates for 3 very ripe bananas instead. And you can use peanut butter instead of almond butter, if you like. For more tips and frosting ideas, see the full post above.

This recipe has been updated to use less water. The original called for a 1/2 cup of water instead of a 1/4 cup. Using less water prevents the middles from sinking as the cake cools.

Nutrition