The ULTIMATE Chocolate Protein Snack Cake is perfect for your workout snack, or really just any time of the day when you need a healthy dose of chocolate. (Gluten-free, and dairy-free options)
Happy Labor Day! Yay for a long weekend, am I right or am I right? To celebrate, I bring you >>> CHOCOLATE CAKE. Okay, it is not your real, heavy-duty chocolate cake. But still! I mean… just look at it. Can anyone really say NO to this? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Unless you don’t like chocolate… Well, then I think there is SERIOUSLY something wrong with you. You should probably get that checked out.
Guys, it has been way too long since I’ve given you a healthy snack! So I am super excited to share this with you all today. This is probably one of my favorite snacks to keep on hand. Yes, I have a lot of favorites… But this one is just great. Why?
1. Chocolate (duh)
2. Cake
3. Healthy
4. Macros
5. Quick breakfast
6. Always good with <favorite> nut butter
Okay, that was a lot of reasons. But I just need you to understand… THIS CAKE IS SO GOOD. And HEALTHY. So even though you feel like you’re eating something that can’t possibly be good for you in any way, shape, or form… It totally is. HOLLA. Yes, I say that in real life.
ANYWAYS… This chocolate protein snack cake is really easy to put together. The ingredients are fairly simple as well. I used a mix of Aloha’s Chocolate Protein and whey protein recipe this go around… but I’ve also made it entirely with MRM All Natural Whey, as well as half whey, half Sunwarrior Warrior Blend. But I am pretty sure if you’re looking to avoid dairy entirely, using a vegan protein powder and subbing the yogurt with soy or coconut milk yogurt will work just fine. And if you don’t have a banana on hand, you can sub applesauce, or pureed (canned) pumpkin, or even coconut oil. Baking is fun 😉
I am always so happy when I can create a healthy snack with a good set of macros. This recipe I like because it has a decent amount of protein (8g), healthy carbs (about 18g), and lower in fat (5g). In other words, I’m eating this every day before my workout in the afternoon 😉 Which is usually when my chocolate attack hits, so the timing for consumption is rather perfect.
Ultimate Chocolate Protein Snack Cake
The ULTIMATE Chocolate Protein Snack Cake is perfect to fuel your workout, and made with gluten-free oats and almond flour for a healthy snack!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Protein Snack
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free old fashioned oats, ground into flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 scoops Aloha Chocolate Protein*
- 1/3 cup vanilla whey protein powder* (I used MRM All Natural)
- 3 TBS cacao powder (or unsweetened cocao)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup erythritol* (or other dry sweetener of choice)
- 1 small banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt*
- 1 large egg
- 3 TBS liquid egg whites (or 1 egg white)
- 1/4 cup +1 TBS non-dairy milk or milk of choice (I used Unsweetened Cashew)
- 2 TBS mini chocolate chips for topping* (I used Enjoy Life)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, or use a silicone square pan (I use one like this).
- Grind oats into flour using NutriBullet or small food processor.
- In a large bowl, combine oat flour, almond flour, protein powders, cacao powder, baking soda, salt, and erythritol and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mash banana until puree-like consistency.
- Add in yogurt, egg, egg whites, and milk and stir until combined.
- Add wet ingredients to large bowl and stir until just combined. Batter should be thick.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan, top with 2 TBS of mini chocolate chips.
With wet hands, slightly press the chips into the top of the batter (wet hands will prevent the batter from sticking to you). - Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out mostly clean.
- Let cool in pan for 20 minutes before cutting.
Alternately, after cooling these can be placed in fridge for 30 minutes before cutting. - Cut cake into 10 slices, wrap and store in air-tight container in fridge.
Cake should keep fresh in fridge for up to 1 week.
They can also be stored in freezer, tightly wrapped and stay fresh up to 1 month.
Notes
*You can use all one type of protein powder, whey or vegan blend. I have not made with casein or brown rice, so I cannot vouch for those results if you’re trying to sub.
*The erythritol sweetener I use is a non-gmo sugar derived from a corn source. It is virtually calorie free, a small amount of carbs, and low glycemic-index. You can also sub this with coconut sugar, or another dry sweetener of choice (white and brown will work just fine). The sugar and carb count in the nutrition will change slightly.
*To make dairy free, sub in your favorite non-dairy yogurt.
*Use more chocolate chips mixed in the batter if you want this cake extra chocolately, about 1/4-1/3 cup.
*I like to wrap my bars individually and store in fridge for easy access when packing lunches.
Recipe adapted from here
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 191mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 19
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 43mg
Just go make this already… you’ll be glad you did! <3
P.S. If you want to try the Aloha products, you can get $20 off your first order by using the code ASHLEY550!
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Sam @ PancakeWarriors says
Healthy, check, chocolate, check, gluten free, check. Holy moly this is my kind of snack. Yes eat this before and after workouts, and at 10:30 because who can resist chocolate!!
Ashley says
Haha, thanks Sam! 😉
Beverley @ sweaty&fit says
omggg Ashley, these look so great! Super moist and not that weird texture that cooking with protein sometimes gives. i will be pinning this for later 🙂
Ashley says
These are definitely not chalky, nor do they taste like chalkboard! I’m obsessed and can’t wait to come up with different variations to share! 🙂 Thanks for pinning! <3
jill conyers says
Hi Ashley. It’s so nice to meet you. I”m not sure how I got here but I’m so glad I did. With pictures like that my question with your brownies is why not? Pinning the chocolate love for menu planning.
Shameless plug 🙂 I host a weekly link up Fitness Friday and would love to have you join. You can check out last week’s link up here if you’re interested http://jillconyers.com/2015/09/10-delicious-pumpkin-recipes/ Today’s link up will be posted later this morning.
Have a fabulous Friday!
Ashley says
Hi Jill! Thanks for stopping by. I will get in touch with you about the link up! 🙂 Have a great weekend!