“Let them eat cake!” So said Marie Antoinette (allegedly). But what if you’re just a lowly peasant who can’t eat gluten, or perhaps someone from the Bourgeoisie following the Paleo diet?
Cake often becomes the sweet centerpiece at birthday parties and many other get-togethers. If you’ve ever politely refused a slice because of dietary restrictions or health concerns, you probably felt like the biggest party pooper on the planet.
However, there are plenty of ways to have your cake and eat it too. You knew that cliche was coming.
Here are six cake recipes giving you options for hosting healthier celebrations.
1. Healthy Birthday Cake with Strawberry Frosting
Chocolate-Covered Kate isn’t so sure if sweet treats at birthday parties are really what makes kids go hyper-crazy. Birthday parties are supposed to be fun after all. But they don’t have to be loaded with processed sugar.
Kate believes if you can make a healthier cake that tastes incredible, you should. That’s why she shared this recipe with her readers. It substitutes the sugar with natural sweeteners like Xylitol and Stevia (Both of which are available from our online store with free shipping, FYI).
She uses coconut oil for beneficial essential fatty acids, and adds jam between the layers of cake for some fruity flavor. To make the cake pictured above, Kate also uses her strawberry frosting recipe as well as a recipe for homemade sprinkles! You can substitute gluten-free flour in this recipe, too.
- Get the complete recipe for Kate’s Healthy Cake
2. Paleo Watermelon Cake
The concept of a watermelon cake was new to me. But what a great idea!
This version, from Amy at Paleo Cupboard, has some great tips for first-time watermelon-cake-makers.
First of all, the frosting on this dessert is made with coconut milk, which you’ll need to let sit in the fridge overnight or for at least 6 hours. This lets the milk and cream separate, and the cream is what you’ll use to frost your melon.
Amy says you can also use yogurt or whipped cream if you’re okay with dairy. But it’s important that your frosting is thick so that it sticks to the melon. You’ll also want to avoid watermelons that are really ripe. The juiciness will make it harder for things to adhere.
Amy adds toasted almonds or toasted coconut and tops her cake with fresh berries. Sometimes she even uses edible flowers for a fancy finishing touch.
- Get the complete recipe for Paleo Watermelon Cake
3. Rawsome Vegan Carrot Cake
Thought your cake-eating days were over when you became a vegan? Not with this recipe!
The Blender Girl tried this healthy cake from the book Rawsome Vegan Baking by Emily von Euw. And of course, raw and vegan actually means no baking at all.
You’ll put sliced carrots, dried coconut, pineapple and dates into a food processor with buckwheat flour and cinnamon. Then put that mixture in a spring-form pan and let it chill in your fridge to make the cake.
What people really rave about in this recipe is the cashew frosting. It calls for coconut oil, maple syrup and fresh lemon juice all blended with delicious cashew nuts.
- Get the complete Vegan Carrot Cake recipe
4. The 100% Fruit Watermelon Cake
Here’s another watermelon cake – this time without frosting. Instead, Erika from the blog A Little Insanity, suggests creating a healthy cake that’s made with all fruit and nothing else.
It’s actually a really fresh attractive looking dish that would be impressive at any sort of summer party. Erika makes it for her son who has issues with both gluten and dairy.
To assemble this creation, you simply need to stick on your favorite fruits to the watermelon with toothpicks. The trick is carving up your watermelon so it makes a nice-looking cake. Check out the video below for tips from Erika.
- Get the complete Watermelon Cake recipe
5. Chocolate Goo-Goo Cake
Chocoholics rejoice! There’s a healthy cake option for you too.
These next two recipes come from Shannon’s Kitchen. A Word of Warning – Shannon likes to use very colorful language in her writing. If you don’t like cursing with your cake recipes – don’t click. But now you won’t be able to resist, will you?
Shannon’s chocolate cake recipe is sugar-free and wheat-free. Plus, it includes beneficial ingredients like cacao powder, which is packed with minerals and antioxidants. (Order some from us with free shipping.)
She also uses things like coconut oil, coconut yogurt, rice milk and almond meal to make the cake.
Shannon’s gooey frosting is the real star of the show. I’d love to tell you how she describes it, but I’d probably get fired. Let’s just say it has something to do with an Australian man’s nether regions. The frosting is made with organic chocolate, coconut cream and peanut butter.
- Get the complete recipe for Chocolate Goo-Goo Cake
6. Easy Vegan & Gluten-Free Cupcakes
Here’s another one from the very sassy Shannon. She even describes herself as a naughty nurse by the way.
This time, Shannon is showing us how to make cupcakes for both vegan and gluten-free diets. She explains the big problem with most gluten-free baked goods in a very unique and descriptive way. It’s dry and bland – but her comparison takes it a few steps further.
Shannon remembers cupcakes fondly. They make her and many other people happy.
“There is something about cupcakes that unites us all. Probably their excellence and their connection to our youth when we cared not for sugar-values, thigh-size or longevity. When we ran around nude and pleaded with the drug-lords of sugar (our mothers) for more.”
You can still have cupcakes that make you happy when you whip up this recipe.
Bananas, coconut oil, almond meal, flaxseed meal and Chia seeds make the base of this cupcake batter. Plus, there’s a light lemon-flavored frosting.
- Get the complete recipe for these Vegan & Gluten-free Cupcakes
Do You Have Healthy Cake Recipes?
If you have your own ideas for making healthy cakes and cupcakes – leave us a comment and give us some tips.
How do you make a cake the fits your family’s dietary needs and restrictions. How do you abide by those needs and still make something that tastes delicious?
Together we can share recipes that make healthy eating sweeter than ever!
