Trail Mix Protein Cake is a perfect hike snack or dessert packed with protein and healthy fats, and low in sugar. Easy and healthy cake recipe sweetened with protein powder and no sugar added!

Inspiration for this recipe came when I saw a bag of trail mix on my countertop which I just wanted to finish up. Very very grateful I went for this without thinking twice because this cake turned out absolutely delicious!

This recipe is easy to follow and only requires a few simple ingredients. Quite perfect for on-the-go athletes and health-conscious individuals.

Ingredients for Trail Mix Protein Cake:

This recipe for high protein trail mix cake is made with a few simple ingredients; It’s for whole wheat pastry flour, uses protein powder as a sweetener and only very little butter. No oil or eggs needed.

Vanilla Protein Powder: For a trail mix cake with no sugar; I used Quest Nutrition Vanilla
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Coconut Flour
Unsweetened Applesauce
Hot Water
Some Lemon Juice
A bit of Melted Butter
Baking Soda
Vanilla Extract
Trail Mix; I used Grandy Organics Antioxidant Trail Mix

For the Protein Frosting for this Trail Mix Cake:

Vanilla Protein Powder: I recommend Quest Nutrition Vanilla here since it’s whey-casein and blends well with the yogurt.
Peanut Butter; I recommend White Chocolate Pretzel PB from American Dream Nut Butter(code HAYLSKITCHEN gives you a discount on these). It’s lower fat and higher protein than normal, and just amazing.
Non-fat Greek Yogurt
More Trail for topping

Tips for perfect Trail Mix Cake with Protein Powder

This protein powder trail mix cake really is easy to make, but here’s some pointers to keep in mind when baking to get it right.

Use whey-casein protein powder since It works well with the ratio of ingredients in this healthy trail mix dessert recipe.
Whey-casein absorbs more liquid, and whey absorbs less, so you need to adjust the liquid accordingly.

Use melted butter so that it mixes well into the cake batter.

Don’t overmix the batter!
Pour the dry mix into the wet along with the milk and just gently fold them together. Don’t over-mix it or too much gluten will develop, which is what will make the cake gummy and dense.

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 trail mix cake.

Don’t let the batter sit out too long; Pour immediately into baking pan and bake 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 Macro Friendly Trail Mix Cake:

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

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

Taste to see if it needs additional sweetener. Add stevia if needed.

How to store Trail Mix Dessert?

This trail mix dessert recipe keeps really well and is great for a meal prep snack or dessert.

Protein powder trail mix cake keeps at room temperature for a few hours and for 4 or 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

To freeze, slice protein trail mix cake, wrap in plastic wrap, and place the pieces in a freezer-safe zipper bag. You can even store the whole cake itself!
Thaw before eating.

Alternatives for Healthy Trail Mix Cake Recipe with No Sugar

For the perfect healthy trail mix cake recipe with no sugar, I used protein powder to replace the sugar. I really would recommend using the ingredients and brands listed, but here’s some healthy alternatives you can try.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: Use All purpose flour or 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour in the same amount by weight not cups.
Coconut Flour: ½ cup more Flour or Oat Flour
Melted Butter: Melted Coconut Oil or Dairy Free Butter
Lemon Juice: Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar
Greek Yogurt: Coconut Yogurt
Peanut Butter: Almond Butter, Cashew Butter, Hazelnut Butter or even Tahini
Trail Mix: Mix of dried fruit and nuts

More Protein Powder Cake Recipes:

More Recipes with Dried Fruit: