Healthy Cake Recipes

Healthy cake recipes feature unusual ingredient combinations like mashed potato, spelt flour, polenta and sweet potatoes which make these delicious recipes healthier than your usual choices

Healthy cake recipes are made up of wonderful alternatives you may never have thought to try before. Mashed potato, spelt flour, yoghurt, buttermilk, vegetables and plenty more are used as substitutes or additions to your cakes put a really interesting twist on classic recipes. This way you save on calories and up the nutritional content of your cakes, tarts and desserts just by swapping naughty ingredients (white flour, butter) for something a little healthier and allergy-friendly too.

This gluten free and sugar free carrot and coconut cake (opens in new tab) from Eric Lanlard uses stevia, instead of sugar and rice flour, instead or regular wheat flour. This is a healthy cake packed full of healthy nuts with various vitamins and healthy oils and grated carrot for added nutrients. Make a low-fat, low-calorie version of the classic carrot cake - plus it's ideal for anyone who is coeliac too.

Many healthy cakes use alternatives to regular flour, and some of our recipes feature vegetables like sweet potatoes, parsnips and courgettes, which you may never have used in your baking before. These ingredients either add density to your baking so they replace flour, or at least minimise it, or they add moisture. Courgettes in particular contain a lot of water so the results are a really moist cake.

Replacing regular flour with spelt flour, chestnut flour, buckwheat flour, wholegrain spelt flour and brown rice flour are all great ways for making your cake healthier too. Different flours have different health benefits, but they're also great alternatives, especially if you suffer from coeliac disease. Healthy cakes are just as easy to make as a regular cake and they can be enjoyed by everyone.

Healthy cakes that are made with yogurt, buttermilk and cottage cheese are great alternatives to butter as they contain natural fats so you can use less added fat. This will certainly make your cake healthier with less calories.

Click through for more healthy cake recipes that'll surprise you how easy they are...

Nutty Orange and Parsnip Cake

Secret ingredients: parsnips and olive oil Okay, so a slice of this cake might not work as one of your five a day, but when combined with the olive oil, the sweet parsnips keep the cake moist so there's no need to add any butter. The cream cheese topping might cancel out any saved calories or fat content though! Bake our nutty orange and parsnip cake

Almond, Polenta and Honey Cake

Polenta is a really great way to add texture, bulk and depth to flour-free bakes. It's low GI so provides slow-release energy without the white carb crash, and also boasts more protein than a large egg! No wonder the Italians can't get enough of it!

Jude Blereau's Raspberry and White Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

Secret ingredient: buttermilk Buttermilk is low in fat so it's a great alternative to whole milk. This cake is wheat-free too. Bake Jude Blereau's raspberry buttermilk cake (opens in new tab) Taken from Wholefood Baking (opens in new tab) (Murdoch Books; £17.99)

Jude Blereau's Strawberry Mousse Tart

Secret ingredient: brown rice flourNot all gluten-free ingredients are healthy or affordable, but brown rice flour is both. Plus it keeps blood sugar levels steady for energy. This wheat-free cake recipe is a great way to give it a go. Bake Jude Blereau's strawberry mousse tart  (opens in new tab)

Sticky Lemon Cake

Secret ingredient: mashed potato You might not have considered using potatoes in a cake before but this recipe really works! Brimming with vitamin C, potassium and fibre, the result is a moist and citrusy bake that's not too calorific. Bake our sticky lemon cake (opens in new tab)

Lily Vanilli's Quince Tart

Secret ingredient: wholegrain spelt flour Another spelt flour recipe. The quince in this recipe also packs a nutritional punch, boosting heart health and fighting inflammation. It's just as tasty as a gooey chocolate cake too! Bake Lily Vanilli's quince tart (opens in new tab) Taken from Sweet Tooth (opens in new tab) (£20, Canongate)

Chrissy Freer's Chia, Date and Walnut Slice

Secret ingredient: chia You might not have heard of this ancient edible seed, but it's brilliant for baking as it adds crunch. Chia carries a wealth of health benefits - it's high in memory-boosting Omega fats, protein and soluble fibre. One slice of this cake will really satisfy sweet cravings. Bake Chrissy Freer's chia, date and walnut slice (opens in new tab) Taken from Supergrains: Eat Your Way To Great Health (opens in new tab) (£14.99, Murdoch)

Lemon, Almond and Yogurt Cake

Secret ingredient: yogurt Butter can really push up the fat content of cake. This clever recipe uses Greek yogurt and almonds instead so you still get the creamy flavour and crumbly texture. Bake our lemon, almond and yogurt cake

Amber Rose's Caramelised Pear and Buckwheat Pudding Cake

Secret ingredient: buckwheat flour If you're trying to snack less, look for ingredients that balance your blood sugar for steady release energy so you stay fuller for longer. Buckwheat is great for this. Use dark-coloured buckwheat flour as it contains the protein-heavy husk. Bake Amber Rose's caramelised pear and buckwheat pudding cake (opens in new tab) Taken from Love, Bake, Nourish (opens in new tab) (Kyle Books, £18.99)

Amber Rose's Chestnut Cake with Purple Berries

Secret ingredient: chestnut flour Most nuts are high in good fats, but chestnuts contain far less calories. They're also high in fibre and vitamin C so chestnut flour makes a great gluten-free alternative to wheat. Bake Amber Rose's chestnut cake with purple berries (opens in new tab) Taken from Love, Bake, Nourish (opens in new tab) (Kyle Books, £18.99)

Jude Blereau's Vanilla Almond Cake

Secret ingredient: spelt flour Unlike plain white flour which loses its nutritional value during the milling process, spelt flour is packed with soluble fibre, niacin (the essential B vitamin for steady energy release) and even iron. Wheat, dairy and egg-free, this is a great cake for allergy-sufferers. Bake Jude Blereau's vanilla almond cake (opens in new tab) Taken from Wholefood Baking (opens in new tab) (Murdoch Books; £17.99)

Rosewater and Pistachio Pavlova

Secret ingredient: cornflour This rosewater and pistachio pavlova makes it so easy to add a nutritional boost to your baking. With a secret ingredient of cornflour, this is really good for the digestive system because it contains high levels of fibre. Your skin will feel the benefit too thanks to the vitamin A. Pistachio nuts are also also brimming with minerals such as potassium, iron and zinc. Make Amber Rose's rosewater and pistachio pavlova. (opens in new tab)

Sweet Potato Brownies

Bake Deliciously Ella's sweet potato brownies

Lime and Courgette Loaf Cake

Bake our lime and courgette loaf cake (opens in new tab)

Courgette Lime Cake

Secret ingredient: courgette

Good-For-You Lemon Cheesecake

Make this good-for-you lemon cheesecake