Skinny Dark Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Well, it is Valentine’s time again! I know so many people have mixed emotions about this holiday, but we should all look on the bright side – it is a perfect reason to have your cake and eat it, too! 

This dark chocolate cake is delicious! It is also a fairly simple, from-scratch recipe. You won’t be feeling guilty about eating it, either, since it has no butter. WHAT?! No butter! Correct, no butter. Instead, it uses pureed prunes. Normally, I might find that ingredient less appealing, but baked in a cake with chocolate and cinnamon, you will never know it’s there! Trust me – I have it on good authority that I wouldn’t even eat pureed prunes as an infant…you will NOT realize it is in there. Accompanied by the cream cheese icing, this cake is a perfect way to either tell someone you love them, or eat your feelings without the guilt…and everything in between!

Skinny Dark Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Total Time: 2 hours hrs

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1/2 cup pureed prunes see below recipe card to make these yourself from dried plums
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee cooled (decaf works fine!)
• 1/2 cup milk

For the Frosting

• 12 oz. reduced fat cream cheese 1/3 the fat
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raw honey or to taste (not for children under 1 year of age!)
• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
• mini chocolate chips for decorating optional

Instructions

For Cake

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine coffee and milk. Set aside. Prepare two 9 inch, round cake pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and then greasing and flouring the bottom and sides.
• With an electric mixer (stand or hand mixer), cream prune puree and sugar until smooth, about five minutes. Add each of the eggs, one at a time. Alternating with the coffee, slowly add the flour mixture (about three additions each). Beat 1 minute, until just smooth.
• Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for about 20 minutes. Use the toothpick test to know when your cake is done!
• Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To Frost

• When cake is completely cool, cream your cream cheese with a mixer (again, stand or hand) until it is smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Add vanilla and honey and continue to mix. Slowly add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, testing sweetness as you go. I like a cheesier cream cheese frosting, but plenty like it on the sweeter side, so make sure it is to taste!
• Lay one layer of the cake on a cake plate. Spoon 1/4 of the icing onto the top of the cake and spread evenly. Lay the second layer on top of the first and repeat. Use the remaining frosting and a knife to slowly and carefully frost the sides, before topping the cake with the remaining frosting and decorating to your liking!
• Enjoy!

Notes

Will keep on a covered cake plate in the fridge for about 5 days. Probably won’t last that long.