Chocolate Caramel Protein Cake – Easy and Healthy

Rich and indulgent Chocolate Caramel Protein Cake with a high-protein chocolate cake, frosting and caramel too! Healthy and easy chocolate caramel cake uses protein powder for sweetener and is sugar free and low fat too.

The chocolate and caramel combination really needs to be more popular, and this cake is a real good example of why. Rich and smooth chocolate with the rich and smooth caramel – like come on.

One slice of this cake definitely was too little here. Totally okay though, because its made with all clean ingredients.

Ingredients for Chocolate Caramel Protein Cake

This Chocolate Caramel Protein Cake is made with a clean and healthy ingredients with no sugar, only a little butter, and whole wheat flour as well.

• Chocolate Protein Powder needed for a high protein cupcake and also replaces the ‘sugar’.
  I used part Whey-Casein Chocolate Donut protein powder from Quest Nutrition Whey-casein and part Dymatize ISO 100 Chocolate Whey.
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 
• 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Substitute – I use Lakanto, to keep this recipe sugar free;  (code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here)
• Hot Water
• Unsweetened Applesauce
• Some Lemon Juice
• A bit of Melted Butter
• Baking Soda

And for the Protein Frosting 

This recipe makes a chocolate caramel cake with a protein powder frosting too:

• Non-fat Greek Yogurt
• Chocolate Protein Powder; This is the source of sweetness in the protein frosting for this cake. No added sugar and chocolate in this recipe. Quest again here.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

The Protein Caramel to top:

• Peanut Butter Powder, also known as Powdered Peanut Butter. I recommend Lakanto for a sugar free version (the code HAYLSKITCHEN gives you a discount). Or you could use the one from PbFit too.
• Peanut Butter: I use the one from American Dream Nut Butter – lower in fat and higher in protein! This link or the code HAYLKITCHEN gives you a discount too.
• Vanilla Protein Powder: I used Quest Nutrition Vanilla whey-casein here.
• Sugar free Maple Syrup for low calorie caramel with no sugar!
  I use the sugar free monk fruit maple syrup from Lakanto (code HAYLSKITCHEN gets you a discount)
• A bit of Water

Tips for Chocolate Caramel Cake with Protein Powder

This protein powder chocolate caramel cake recipe is really very easy to make!

For the Chocolate Protein Cake:

• Use melted Butter so that it mixes well into the healthy chocolate cake batter.

• Don’t over-mix the batter!
  Make sure you gently fold the dry mix into the wet to combine them.
  If you over-mix it, the protein powder will make the low calorie protein cake tough, dense and gummy.

• Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I’d recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have sugar free and healthy mudcake.

• Don’t let the batter sit out too long; Pour immediately into baking pan and bake.
  This is to avoid any reactions between the ingredients.

• Don’t over-bake the cake or it will get tough; Remove when the tester/knife comes out just dry, but moist.

• Let cake cool completely before frosting or the frosting will melt.

For the Frosting in this Chocolate Caramel Protein Cake Recipe

• Use whey-casein protein powder since it mixes well with the yogurt.

• Only add milk if necessary; Mix the frosting well first, and then add milk if still too dry.

How to store Easy Homemade Chocolate Caramel Recipe?

This easy chocolate caramel cake is great for a make-ahead party dessert or meal-prep too.

Store chocolate caramel cake in an airtight container in the fridge for upto 4 days.

To freeze healthy chocolate caramel cake, slice and wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and then place in freezer-safe zipper bags.

Thaw in fridge before eating.

Alternatives for Healthy Chocolate Caramel Cake Recipe 

For the perfect healthy chocolate caramel cake recipe, I used protein powder and monk fruit sweetener to replace the sugar and I would highly suggest using the ingredients recommended.

I do have some alternatives you can try. I haven’t testing them all, so I can’t say how the recipe might turn out.

• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: Use All purpose flour or 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in the same amount by weight not cups.
• 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement: Regular confectioners sugar or coconut sugar (this won’t be sugar free though, and also higher in calories)
• Unsweetened Applesauce: Mashed Banana or Pumpkin Puree
• Melted Butter: Melted Coconut Oil or Dairy Free Butter
• Lemon Juice: Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar
• Greek Yogurt: Coconut Yogurt
• Peanut Butter Powder: Use 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter, but also reduce water to 1 tsp

More Protein Powder Chocolate Cake Recipes:

• Dirt Pudding Protein Cupcakes – Unbelievably Soft
• Chocolate Protein Skillet Cake
• Protein Chocolate Mud Cake
• Chocolate Peppermint Protein Cake
• Low Carb Chocolate Protein Cake

Chocolate Caramel Protein Cake – Easy and Healthy

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 169kcal

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Rich and indulgent Chocolate Caramel Protein Cake with a high-protein chocolate cake, frosting and caramel too! Healthy and easy chocolate caramel cake uses protein powder for sweetener and is sugar free and low fat too.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, see post for subs, 90g
• ⅔ cup Chocolate Protein Powder (Whey), 60g
• ½ cup Chocolate Protein Powder (Whey-casein), 45g
• 6 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 30g
• 4½ Tbsp Zero Calorie 1:1 Sugar Replacement, 52g
• 1½ tsp Baking Soda
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp Hot Water, 270ml
• ¾ cup Unsweetened Applesauce, 180g
• 2 tsp tsp Melted Butter, 10g
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Chocolate Frosting:

• ¾ cup Non-fat Greek Yogurt, 168g
• ½ cup Chocolate Protein Powder (Whey-Casein), 45g
• 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 5g

Caramel:

• 1½ Tbsp Peanut Butter Powder, 9g
• 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter, 16g
• 1½ Tbsp Vanilla Protein Powder, Whey-Casein, 8g
• 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup, Sugar-free recommended below, 15ml
• 1 Tbsp Water, 15ml

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 8” cake pan or baking dish with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk flour, whey and whey-casein chocolate protein powders, unsweetened cocoa powder, zero calorie sugar replacement and baking soda.
• In a large bowl, whisk together hot water, applesauce, butter and lemon juice.
• Add dry mix to wet, and gently fold until just combined.

  DO NOT OVER-MIX or protein powder will make the cake dense.
• Pour batter into pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

  Don’t let the batter sit out.

  A tester inserted into the center should come out clean and center of cake springy to touch.
• Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

• In a bowl, combine protein powder and yogurt.
• Add Greek yogurt and mix until combined.

  Add milk only if too dry.
• Spread frosting over cake.

Caramel:

• In a bowl, combine protein powder, peanut butter powder, peanut butter, maple syrup and water (little at a time). Mix until smooth.
• Spread over frosting and top with crushed chocolate cereal or cookies.

Notes

• Nutrition details are calculated using products recommended below.
• See post for alternate ingredients, tips and storage options.

Product Recommendations:

• Quest Nutrition Chocolate Whey-Casein Protein Powder
• Dymatize ISO 100 Gourmet Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
• Lakanto Peanut Butter Powder
  • Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount off your order
• Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup
  • Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount off your order
• Quest Nutrition Vanilla Whey-Casein Protein Powder
• American Dream Nut Butter Peanut Butter
  • Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount off your order

Nutrition:

• Servings: 8 slices | Serving size: 1
• Calories: 169kcal
• Fat: 3.6g | Saturated fat: 0.9g
• Carbohydrates: 23.2g | Fiber: 5.2g | Sugar: 2.7g
• Protein: 18.9g