Healthy Chocolate Orange Cake

This healthy chocolate orange cake is pure moist, fluffy indulgence. This easy cake recipe is gluten-free, sugar free and keto friendly. Even better, you can make it from scratch in just 1 hour.

Here in the UK we have a popular orange flavoured chocolate called Terrys. I will never forget the day a friend of mine served a Terrys chocolate orange cake at her birthday party. I was in heaven!

I already have a sugar free chocolate birthday cake on my website. It is made with dark chocolate and it is delicious.

But the Terry cake was still on my mind. So, when my own 50th birthday came around, I decided to make my very own keto chocolate orange cake recipe.

It was epic! This cake has a fluffy and light crumb texture. It is chocolatey, with a distinct orange taste. And it has a creamy, silky chocolate frosting.

You would never guess this double-tier dessert is only 4.4g net carbs per slice.

Jump to:

• Healthy swaps
• Ingredients
• Method
• Serving Suggestion
• Top tip
• FAQ
• Substitutions
• Storage
• Related recipes
• Recipe

Healthy swaps

It only takes a few swaps to transform a regular dark orange chocolate cake into a healthy sugar free one.

1. I used almond flour and coconut flour instead of wheat flour.
2. Instead of sugar, this cake contains a zero calorie, zero carb natural sweetener.
3. No orange juice - the orange flavor comes from orange essence and orange zest.
4. Yoghurt makes the sponge texture light and fluffy.
5. Avocado is my secret ingredient in the frosting.

Yes, the chocolate avocado frosting is the crowning glory of the recipe. It's a game changer! Buttercream can be so sickly and this combination is healthier, rich in good fats and spreads like a dream.

Are you ready to get started?

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we need for the cake. It may seem like a lot but don't forget we are making a layer cake with two sponge cakes, which we stack on top of another. 

• Almond flour - I used ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour in the US. Reduce by 1-2 tablespoons if you're using super-fine almond flour.
• Coconut flour
• Eggs - should be large and room temperature
• Almond milk - make sure it's unsweetened
• Butter - melted
• Yoghurt - Both Greek and plain full fat work. Helps with the rise we all want in a gluten-free cake.
• Cocoa powder
• Powdered sweetener - Any sweetener that is a 1:1 sugar substitute works. I like monk fruit sweetener (an erythritol blend with monk fruit), allulose or Bocha Sweet.
• Baking powder and salt - Always check that your baking powder is fresh.

For the sugar free frosting, we're blending together ripe avocado, cocoa powder, powdered sweetener, a little butter or coconut oil and orange extract plus a pinch of salt.

Method

This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

CHOCOLATE SPONGE

You can make the sponge in a high speed blender or in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.

Start by blending the eggs until fluffy. Then add the wet ingredients and last the dry ingredients. Blend until you have a smooth batter.

Now, pour the mixture into your prepared springform pans. Each cake tin must be lined with parchment paper so the bottom does not stick. I also grease the sides with butter.

Bake the cakes at the same time until you can insert and remove a skewer without any crumbs sticking.

Allow to fully cool on a wire rack.

SUGAR-FREE FROSTING

Blend all frosting ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness.

ASSEMBLY

Place one cake on your serving board. Top with a thin layer of frosting, about ¼ of the mixture. 

Add the second layer of the cake and coat the top and sides of the cake until they are fully covered. 

Serving Suggestion

I decorated this healthy chocolate orange cake with grated sugar free chocolate and orange zest plus orange slices.

This cake tastes best at room temperature, because then the frosting is lovely and soft. 

Top tip

Don't over-bake! The sponge firms up as it cools. If you bake the cake for too long it will become dry.

FAQ

Substitutions

Here a few ideas how you can change the recipe to suit your preferences or dietary requirements.

Almond flour sponge: Replace the coconut flour with an additional 1 ¼ cup or 125g of regular almond flour or ground almonds. Use only 1 cup if your almond flour is super fine. 

Nut free. Use a blend of sunflower seed flour and sesame seed flour. I don't recommend swapping the almond flour for coconut flour.

No dairy. For a dairy-free chocolate orange cake, replace the butter with coconut oil and the yoghurt with coconut yoghurt. 

Different frosting. Use the chocolate ganache frosting recipe in my Sugar Free Low Carb Chocolate Birthday Cake.

Storage

Refrigerator: Whilst the cake tastes best at room temperature, I would store it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.

Freezer: This cake freezes really well for up to 3 months. There are two methods:

1. Freezing the sponge separately. If you are making the two sponge cakes ahead of time, freeze them. Add the avocado frosting after defrosting.
2. Freezing the entire cake. In case of any leftovers, slice the cake. Freeze the slices on a large plate, making sure they don't touch. Only after they are frozen, place them in a container. That way, the frosting won't be damaged.

Defrost overnight in the fridge.

Related recipes

Here are more sugar free chocolate cake recipes to try:

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