Low Calorie Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut Topping

What if I told you that you could have a glossy, bakery-style chocolate cake for under 180 calories a slice? Pretty exciting, right?! This is truly the BEST low calorie chocolate cake! Made with cocoa powder, Greek yogurt, applesauce, and just the right amount of dark chocolate, it bakes up perfectly moist and rich.

It’s not only lighter than your average cake, but you’ll probably LOVE it so much, it won’t just be your “healthy” option, it’ll be your go-to chocolate fix.

And that glossy hazelnut topping? It’s the kind of finish that makes this cake look like it came from a bakery case, but it’s easy enough to pull off in your own kitchen. Follow the simple steps and you’ll get that shiny, nutty layer every single time.

Helpful Tips & Variations

• Measure flour the right way. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, don’t scoop straight from the bag or you’ll end up with too much, which can make the cake dry.
• Use room temperature ingredients. Let your eggs and yogurt sit out for 20–30 minutes before baking. This helps the batter mix evenly and rise properly.
• Bloom your cocoa powder. Mixing it with hot coffee or water deepens the chocolate flavor without extra fat or sugar.
• Don’t overmix. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, stir just until the flour streaks are gone. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
• Check for doneness early. Every oven is different. Start checking your cake 5 minutes before the recommended bake time, a toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool completely before glazing. If the cake is even a little warm, the glaze will melt and lose its shine.
• Chop the nuts finely. This makes the topping easier to slice cleanly and gives you an even crunch in every bite.
• Switch up the nuts. Try almonds, pecans, or pistachios for a different flavor and look.
• Make it dairy-free. Use coconut yogurt in the cake and a dairy-free dark chocolate for the topping.
• Lighten it even more. Reduce the chocolate in the topping to 85g and the nuts to 20g for fewer calories without losing the glossy look.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour (or whole-wheat pastry flour)
• ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated monkfruit or erythritol sweetener (or ½ cup/100g sugar)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ cup (120g) plain Greek yogurt (0% or 2% fat), room temperature
• ½ cup (120g) unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) neutral oil (canola or avocado)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120ml) very hot coffee (or hot water)

For the glossy hazelnut topping:

• 5 oz (140g) dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil or coconut oil
• ⅓ cup (40g) finely chopped roasted hazelnuts
• Pinch flaky salt (optional)

How to Make Low Calorie Chocolate Cake

1. Prepare your pan and oven

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• For a loaf: line the long sides of a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal, and lightly grease the parchment and short sides.
• For a round cake: line the base of an 8-inch round pan with parchment and grease the sides.

2. Mix the dry ingredients

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sweetener (or sugar), baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined and lump-free.

3. Mix the wet ingredients

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, applesauce, eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth.

4. Combine wet and dry

• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
• Stir gently until most of the flour is incorporated, a few streaks are fine.

5. Add the hot liquid

• Pour in the hot coffee (or hot water).
• Whisk gently until the batter is smooth and pourable.
• Note: The batter will be thin, this creates a MOIST cake.

6. Bake

• For a loaf pan: bake for 38–45 minutes.
• For a round pan: bake for 25–30 minutes.
• Start checking a few minutes early, the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

7. Cool completely

• Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack.
• Cool completely before glazing, at least 45–60 minutes.

Make the glossy hazelnut topping:

8. Melt the chocolate

• Place chopped chocolate and oil in a microwave-safe bowl.
• Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring after each, until 90% melted.
• Stir off-heat until smooth.
• Alternative: melt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.

9. Add the nuts

• Stir in the finely chopped roasted hazelnuts.
• Add a pinch of flaky salt if using.
• Let the glaze sit for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.

10. Glaze the cake

• For a loaf: place the cooled cake back into the clean loaf pan to contain the glaze.
• Spread the glaze evenly over the top with a spatula.
• Let set at room temperature for 30–40 minutes, or in the fridge for 10–15 minutes, until firm but still glossy.

11. Slice and serve

• Loaf cake: lift out using the parchment and slice into thick pieces.
• Round cake: cut into wedges.
• Wipe the knife between cuts for clean slices.

Storage Tips

• Room temperature: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temp for up to 1 day. This keeps the crumb soft and the glaze shiny.
• Refrigerator: After the first day, transfer the cake to the fridge to keep it fresh for up to 4 days. Let slices come to room temp before serving for the best texture and flavor.
• Freezer: You can freeze the cake (unglazed) for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and place in a freezer-safe bag or container.
• Freezing with glaze: Not recommended, the glossy topping can lose its shine and develop a different texture after thawing… If you want to freeze with glaze, expect a softer, matte finish.

Did you TRY this low calorie chocolate cake? If you did, leave a comment below and tell us how it turned out, did you stick with hazelnuts or try another nut? We’d LOVE to hear your twist!

If you’re not baking it today, SAVE this recipe for later so it’s ready whenever the chocolate craving hits. And don’t forget to follow Panfetti on Pinterest for more lightened-up desserts that look just as good as they taste!