Healthy Cake Recipes

Carrots give carrot cake a health-halo effect--people think it's health food, but it's usually very high in fat and calories. But our version has about 40 percent less calories and 50 percent less fat than most. First, we use less oil in our batter. Then we skip the butter in the frosting (don't worry, it's still light and smooth). To ensure the cake is moist, we add nonfat buttermilk and crushed pineapple.

Apples lend their sweet-tart flavor to this warm and comforting apple coffee cake. The nutty oat and pecan filling in the middle of the cake also acts as a crispy topping that's drizzled with a sweet vanilla glaze.

Pumpkin puree and applesauce provide tenderness and moisture to this pumpkin Bundt cake, eliminating the need for butter or oil.

Deliciously warm spiced cake layers are rolled together with slightly tangy cream cheese frosting. This pumpkin jelly roll tastes decadent, but each serving is under 200 calories and has less than 20 grams of sugar. Don't be intimidated by this jelly roll--so long as you work quickly while the cake is warm, it's hard to mess it up or crack the cake.

Inspired by the old-school, ultra-rich, mousselike chocolate cake that usually called for a whole pound of chocolate, half a dozen eggs and lots of butter, this enlightened rendition has deep bittersweet chocolate flavor and dense melt-in-your-mouth texture. No one will guess it's healthier. The secret is excellent natural cocoa powder and good-quality bittersweet chocolate, preferably with 70% cacao. Although the cake can be eaten once it's completely cool, it comes out of the pan much easier and even tastes better if it has been chilled at least overnight.

This healthy pumpkin sheet cake is perfectly spiced from the pumpkin pie spice blend, a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. A tangy, sweet cream cheese frosting helps balance the flavors. This cake is perfect for any fall gathering.

These cranberry-orange shortcakes are essentially a cross between a biscuit and a scone. They make a light base for a rich cranberry compote and a brown-sugar-laced crème fraîche topping. These are designed to be on the small side, since there are usually many desserts on offer on Thanksgiving, but you can make them any size you like, just adjust the baking time accordingly.

Honey and almonds flavor this simple (and gluten-free) cake. It's lovely for afternoon tea or a spring holiday dessert. Be careful not to overbeat the egg whites--they should be white and very foamy, but not at all stiff or able to hold peaks. If you beat them too much, the cake may sink in the middle as it cools.

This diabetes-friendly take on a classic black forest cake boasts a thick cream-cheese filling mixed with antioxidant-rich cherries and is drizzled in decadent hot fudge topping.

Ah, the maligned fruitcake. Many store-bought varieties, stuffed with unrecognizable candied bits, deserve their bad reputation--but not these wonderful cakes, made with a generous serving of dried fruit and candied orange peel in a light batter. There's only one trick: buy the best-quality, moist dried and candied fruit you can afford.

If you like spinach-cheese pie, try these simple but elegant-looking little spinach cakes.

This lightened-up cake has the flavor of real vanilla beans, but it's still sweet, delicious, and ready to eat as is or topped with your favorite frosting.

A rich, flavorful syrup infuses this Mediterranean-inspired walnut coffee cake with the bright aroma of oranges and cloves. Heart-healthy olive oil and whole-grain barley flour add subtle complexity and texture to this nutty treat.

This cake was inspired by the one of the most popular Jamaican desserts, sweet potato pudding. Traditionally, raw shredded sweet potatoes are used, but we found that sweet potatoes sold in the U.S. don't provide the same texture as those in Jamaica. Instead, we mix mashed sweet potato with eggs and flour to get a slightly different, but equally delicious, cheesecake-like result.

This foolproof cake is one of our most popular recipes. Dutch-process cocoa is preferred here for its deep chocolate flavor.

This peach cobbler cheesecake marries a classic cheesecake with the crisp cinnamon-flavored topping and fresh fruit flavor of a peach cobbler. Additional fresh ripe peaches and syrupy warmed preserves make the perfect garnish for this amazing dessert!

This Double Chocolate Cupcake recipe is perfect for the ultimate chocolate lover. Topped with Chocolate Frosting, these diabetic-friendly cupcakes are delicious and impossible to resist.

This deeply dark chocolate vegan cake is not just for vegans. This fudge-like cake is also gluten-free, perfect for Valentine's Day and can even be made kosher to enjoy for Passover by making your own confectioners' sugar. The fresh berries on the side are a nice addition to the rich chocolate.

These mini cheesecakes aren't just adorable--baked in a muffin tin, they're quicker to make than traditional cheesecake and perfectly portioned.

Got an extra box of vanilla cake mix? Use it to make this easy blueberry-lemon dump cake! A layer of blueberries bakes with lemon-infused cake on top. With only 10 minutes of active time, this cake is perfect for busy nights or casual get-togethers.

This healthier apple cake recipe relies on yogurt and canola oil instead of butter to make it moist. Grated apple and warm spices give it the flavor of fall. To finish off the cake, drizzle on a quick brown sugar glaze before serving.

This muffin-tin mini cheesecake recipe is an adorable, healthy dessert that's the perfect cute size. If making 2 dozen seems like overkill, the recipe can easily be cut in half. If you avoid gluten, use gluten-free graham crackers to make the crust.

Classic carrot cake goes vegan in this easy recipe, and gets covered with coconut whipped cream to replace the traditional cream cheese frosting. A mixture of flax and water makes a sturdy substitute for eggs in this vegan cake. Plus, sweet crushed pineapple helps to make this cake delicious with less added sugar.

To give this apple custard cake a nutrition boost, use whole-wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose, adding an extra gram of fiber per serving. A little of the batter gets mixed with an extra egg and spread on the cake before it's baked, yielding an ultra-creamy and custardy top.