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“Fudge You!” High-Protein Chocolate Cake

High protein chocolate cake

Above and below, covered in Vegan Whipped Cream.

vegan Greek yogurt and high protein chocolate cake

Possible problems with making a whole pan of brownies: After only a few days, they get hard and crumbly (especially the end pieces). If you live alone, it’s hard to finish a whole pan by yourself before they go stale. If you’re my mom, you disagree with the above… which presents a different problem: you might want to eat the whole pan by yourself!

Solution: Make brownies for one!

The following recipe makes 1 to 3 big servings (I usually eat it in two), stays super-moist for at least a few days if kept in the fridge, and it even offers a healthy amount of protein and vitamins.

“Fudge You!” Chocolate Protein Cake

(or make brownies or even cupcakes!)

  • 1/4 cup (48 grams) chocolate protein powder (I used NutriBiotic. Spirutein did NOT work)
  • 2 tbsp to 1/4 cup (up to 50-ish grams) canned pumpkin (I like 60g, but it will be much less firm with that much. Moist, but not firm)
  • 1 and 1/4 tsp ener-g egg replacer (or 1 1/2 tbsp ground flax)
  • Level 1/8 tsp salt
  • sweetener (I like bitter chocolate, even in cake form, so I use less. But for most people’s tastes, I’d recommend at least 4 tsp sugar or 1 tsp stevia
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • up to 1/2 cup (120g) water (or other liquid)

I also add cinnamon and sometimes a few drops of extracts.  You can add chocolate chips, coconut, nuts… Procedure: Preheat oven to 390*F.  Combine dry ingredients (including pumpkin).  Add water and stir. Pour batter into a mini-loaf pan and cook for 30 minutes.  (It’s important to put it in the oven as soon as you add the liquid, because the “egg” starts to work right away.)  Open the oven and leave in ten more minutes (with the heat turned off and the door open).

high protein chocolate cake and vegan Greek yogurt

If you put Ricemallow Cream or something similar in the middle, you can have a vegan Ho Ho! (Or a Hostess-style “CupCake”)

Question of the Day:

What’s your favorite unhealthy food? Or, what’s something you’d like to see health-i-fied?  It can be sweet or savory.

Published on April 27, 2010

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113 Comments

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  1. Aimee says

    You’ve already done mine: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! I used to eat it straight out of the package (the Pillsbury one). But now, thanks to your brilliance, I just make a big thing of “chocolate chip cookie dough babies” and eat that dough instead! Much healthier!!! And surprisingly just as tasty :).

  2. Valerie says

    Oh, and my favorite unhealthy food would probably have to be anything fried. Or chips. Can’t be trusted around them!

  3. Mary says

    Haha you’ve done ho hos, now what about twinkies? Not that anyone actually loves those things, do they? I mean, I’ve never heard anyone say it’s their favorite food…

  4. vegangal says

    those brownies or cake looks so good and yummy i would eat the whole pan if i make them. love this recipe girl so good! xoxoxo

  5. Kady @ Livin, Lovin, Learnin says

    I’m SO excited to try this! You have pumpkin listed in the ingredients list twice – is there supposed to be 1/2 cup total? And do you know how many eggs the ener-g egg replacer is equivalent too? (I usually use flaxmeal or cornstarch + water as egg substitutes).

    My favorite unhealthy food is actually brownies, so this is perfect! I also love almost any kind of cookies. I can pass up salty or fried snacks.

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Kady, Whoops! Thank you so much for letting me know! I definitely didn’t mean to have it in there twice. Only 1/4 cup total.

      Hmmm, I think it says on the ener-g box that 1 and 1/2 tsp is equal to one egg. Lemme go check. *runs away*

      Yup!! 1 and 1/2 tsp is equal to an egg. So basically it’s one egg.

  6. Jess says

    My favorite unhealthy food would have to be an ice cream sundae. But not just any ice cream sundae, one with that hard chocolate topping, “Magic Shell”. I used to get them at Dairy Queen all the time. Soft serve vanilla with a hard chocolate shell. If you could recreate healthy magic shell, you’d be my hero! 🙂

  7. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    Jess,
    Oh my gosh, I used to get those cones too!!! After softball, we’d always go to Dairy Queen. Except I’d get Butterscotch dipped, which drove my sister nuts, because she thought it was the most disgusting thing ever. But then again, she got cherry dipped. Ewww 🙂
    I love the idea of healthy Magic Shell! I’ll have to think about this one!

  8. Jessica (PB & Jess) says

    Nummy…I wish I could have a taste of that cake right now! 🙂

    My favorite unhealthy food is an ice cream sundae. I like the creamiest stuff you can get (I don’t like fruit flavors or sorbet), loaded up with a zillion topping and hot fudge sauce.

  9. Ariel says

    I’ve never tried “magic shell”, but I think that you could recreate it using coconut butter or cacao bliss! Coconut oil would work, too. Warm the coconut butter or oil until liquid and stir in desired flavorings (such as vanilla extract and cinnamon or cocoa powder or cashew butter) and agave nectar to taste (optional) to create a smooth mixture. Pour this over ice cream and it will instantly harden to form a shell. 😀 I like to do this with frozen bananas and cold puddings, too.

  10. abby says

    katie, this looks amazing! i don’t have nutribiotic powder right now, but i’ll make sure to get some when i go to whole foods next time. so excited!

  11. *Andrea* says

    LOOKS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! kinda like a vita top on steroids? haha. personally i could eat fudge every day so i should make this recipe asap.

  12. Sonia @ Master of Her Romaine says

    Hi! The brownie looks wonderful! 2 questions: Do you think it would work with Jay Robb? And, do you think it would work in the microwave? I don’t have a mini loaf pan…I was thinking of making an origami box out of foil and pouring the batter into that…

  13. Stefanie says

    You are a genius! Now I just need some protein powder and I will have a healthy brownie. 🙂 I’m not really a junk food eater but am addicted to Garden of Eaten’s baked tortilla chips.

  14. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    Hey Sonia!
    I actually have been meaning to try it with Jay Robb! That was my next experiment after Spirutein (which didn’t puff up/hold together… but was a yummy mush). So I’d be very interested to know how it turns out if you do try it!
    As for the microwave, once again: you won’t know unless you try it :).
    Let me know how it works out if you try!

  15. Kelsey says

    Ahh that sounds amazing. I may have to order Nutribiotic and try it! I’m thinking some banana soft-serve would be really yummy over that cake. Hmm… 😛

    As far as favorite junk food, I’ve always been a fan of mousse-type pies, which, thanks to tofu, I don’t have to miss out on. 🙂

  16. Tanya says

    That looks WAY too good! Not a whipped cream person, but I bet it would be tasty with some vegan ice cream 🙂 Or banana softserve! Oh wait….I don’t have protein powder……..

  17. Quix says

    Oh, that looks so so so so good. I’m not much of a whipped cream person either but I have a bag of caramel marshmallows (yes, they are as good as they sound…), and this would be a fitting base for them!

    Fave unhealthy food: pizza. I just can’t do the healthified version, I’d just rather have the real deal every once in a while. Most everything else I am totally satisfied with the healthy version.

  18. Bianca- Vegan Crunk says

    Mmm…that does look good. Interesting that its flourless but the protein powder seems to make it fluffy.

    As for healthifying, how about healthifying tofu fried chicken? Only I still want it deep-fried. Baking is just not the same. Yes, I know that’s not possible but a girl can dream for healthy deep fried food, right?

  19. Katie says

    KATIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! You are the bestest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I just made this and it is amazing!!!!!!! I LOVE it!! Will be dessert tonight!! I had a sliver to try and it was yummy!!!

    Should I keep it in the fridge or just leave out? Love you beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing this fab recipe!!!!!!!!!

  20. lacrossegal says

    Kaite!!

    Your fudge looks amazingggg!!!

    My favorite unhealthy foods would have to be ICE CREAM and reduced fat Cheez-its and Wheat Thins!!! There’s something about them that once I start I can’t stop!! 🙂

  21. Heather Eats Almond Butter says

    Love it Katie, and so glad you used the oven. I’ve seen so many protein cake/brownie recipes that call for a microwave, but I’m microwaveless. This is excellent, and I might just have to bust out some Jay Robb soon to make this.

    Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie, but I guess that would just involve vegan cookies with your whipped cream in the middle. So, never mind. 🙂

  22. Lorin says

    healthifying chocolate chip cookies?!

    The brownie looks pretty good, but I’m not a vegan so I don’t have the egg replacer, or pumpkin, or the protein powder. Ah well, I like a piece of dark chocolate for my desserts anyways 🙂

  23. Katie says

    Girl you are amazing and rock!!!!!!! I love ya!!!!! I love all your recipes!!!!! I just never get around to trying them all, today I saw this and I was like, Katie get your butt up and make these now!!!! lol!!

    Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxo

  24. Vanilla says

    My favorite unhealthy foods would be:
    1) Giant muffins
    2) Mochi

    I already healthified the muffins (I call them dollies) :p (recipe on my blog)

    It looks like my brownie dollies recipe, minus the oats! I’ll try it 🙂

    xoxo

  25. Anonymous says

    I love lemon bars too!! I would love to find a vegan recipe for lemon bars that doesnt use refined sugar. but that might be too much to hope for.

  26. Justine says

    Now that you have made a ‘healthy’ version of the cake brownie, and Heather (HEAB) has done the fudge brownie, I can think of nothing else to make healthy. This is the first time that I am sad that I don’t have any protein powder stashed away in the cupboard….

  27. Veggiesmack says

    My favorite horrible food is probably pasta (or anything) smothered in creamy vodka sauce and buttery garlic knots. Also, Reese’s PB Cup Blizzards from Dairy Queen. Horrible, I know! Also, just about anything with peanut butter and chocolate.

  28. Naomi(onefitfoodie) says

    YUMMM KATIE! these look fabulous!! so so so moist and delicious!! my favorite unhealthy food is key lime pieee and ice cream REAL ice cream!

  29. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says

    The cake looks great! and thanks for your reply the other day 🙂 Glad you’re living life off the bloggie!

  30. Danielle says

    This looks so good!! I could swear that I’ve left a comment asking for a healthified hoho 😀 I guess my wish has been *granted*

    OHH, I’ve got one: A healthified oatmeal cream pie. Those were my favorite when I was a kid!

  31. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    :),
    I’ve never tried it with Amazing Grass, so I can’t say for sure. But I don’t think it would have enough thickening capabilities. You could always add a sprinkle to the regular recipe though.
    But who knows… it *might* work to use it. Since I never have, I wouldn’t know for sure. If you do, let me know how it turns out!

  32. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    Anonymous,
    If you want a lemon bar without refined sugar, maybe you could try subbing a different sweetener for the sugar in any old recipe? Good luck… and send me some. I don’t know that I’ve EVER had a lemon bar, sad to say!

  33. Emm says

    So sad I can’t make that cake, no protein powder and so difficult to find a vegan one over here in England 🙁
    Maybe you could makeover Pop Tarts??!!!
    I loved those when I was little, although again in England we only got chocolate or strawberry flavour not all the fancy ones..Any thoughts?
    Lots of love xox

  34. Julia says

    Emma, I’m sure you could use whole wheat flour for the recipe, and perhaps add some cocoa? That would probably work 🙂

    And Katie, THANK YOU for this recipe! I just finished my “fudge” and it was fabulouse 🙂 I used Designer Whey (1/3 cup/26 grams) and added 1.5 TBS cocoa to the mix. Also, my liquid of choice was brewed coffee, along with some maple syrup (don’t knock it til you’ve tried it ;). The batter seemed a tad thin, so I evened things out by tossing in 1/2 cup of wheat bran (more fiber? sweet!) and speaking of sweat, I made my batch with 6 packs of Stevia in the raw.

    The end result was a dense yet fluffy and moist protein brownie. Usually, I’m a Glenny’s girl for brownies, but think that your recipe has given me an even healthier (not to mention more cost friendly) treat. Thanks again!

  35. Michelle says

    Question: Are these browines more cake-like would you say? I am going to try them tonight because I actually *gasp* have ALL the ingredients! WOAH!

    Oh, and I made your “Guacamole” that uses asparagus; let me just say that everyone who tried it had absolutely NO idea it was made from asparagus. It was THAT good 🙂 Thanks!

    And as for unhealthy foods… Tractor Supply’s Milk Chocolate (Double Dipped) Covered Peanuts. They’re one of those things that are so disgusting they’re absolutely delicious 😀

  36. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    Michelle,
    Awwwww I’m so excited you tried the Aspara-dip… and liked it!! 🙂

    Yeah, I’d definitely say it’s more cake-like, but that’s just because I put it in a loaf pan, so it puffs up way too much to be a brownie. It’s very moist, thanks to the pumpkin, though.

    Chocolate-covered peanuts sound awesome, because everyone knows that peanut butter + chocolate = a match made in Heaven :).

  37. abby says

    katieeeeee! i made this today! i went to whole foods just for the protein powder since you said it didn’t work with spirutein and so i didn’t want to risk it with jay robb.
    has anyone else used jay robb? do you know if it works with it?
    anyway i don’t need to know because i followed your directions EXACTLY and my cake was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good! really i love you so much for making this up because it is my new favorite recipe. i think you just saved me so much money because i am never buying a vita muffin ever again. this is my new favorite snack. its so rich and like fudge just like you said. you are the BEST!

  38. Gaby says

    I have to try this! I think I”ll make a non chocolate version like pumpkin cake or maybe with berries because I have vanilla protein powder.
    I’m also going to have to agree with your mom, I easily finish a whole pan of brownies in 2 days, or pies, or cakes, or pretty much anything. My metabolism is seriously out of control! Last weekend I finally got around to playing with the bread machine and made a whole loaf, it was gone in 3 days. Yesterday I made a whole batch of mocha chocolate chip waffles. Do I have any left for tomorrow? Sadly, no :\

  39. Hannah says

    Do you think applesauce could work as a substitute for canned pumpkin? There’s no such thing as canned pumpkin in Australia, and I don’t *particularly* want to cook and mash an entire pumpkin right now…

  40. alex says

    Oh my goodness! I’ve been looking for a sugar-free protein brownie everywhere!!! I am really sensitive to sugar, and am very picky on eating lots of healthy foods. Lately, it’s been bothering me that I don’t have an easy snack or dessert to make, but this sounds perfect! There’s only 1 problem……I CAN’T FIND ANY CANNED PUMPKIN!!!

    Apparently there is a pumpkin shortage…and I can’t find it anywhere! Could you use something else besides pumkin?

    Also, have you tried the Vega protein powders? I love the vanilla chai one, and the chocolate one. I wonder if this protein would work in this recipe….hmmm…

  41. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    Hi Alex!!
    I haven’t tried the Vega powders… I really don’t have much experience with protein powders, but vanilla chai sounds delicious. I just wish I could find a small package so I didn’t have to buy a big thing to try!
    I’m not sure about the pumpkin… I’ve never tried it with anything else. The only three other things I can think of would be applesauce, oil, or mashed sweet potato.
    Apparently the shortage doesn’t affect organic pumpkin, so if you haven’t checked a place like Whole Foods, I’d look there. Good luck!!! 🙂

  42. Little Bookworm says

    Katie, do you think this recipe would work with flax eggs instead of the egg replacer? Thanks!

  43. Anonymous says

    vanilla cake continued: i’m trying to think of how to make it! the vanilla protein powder sounds good but what else?? maybe applesauce instead of the pumkin so that its not orange? or it can be orange vanilla cake (lol)

  44. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    Anonymous,
    I just bought the vanilla NutriBiotic, so I’m psyched to try it. If you try a vanilla version first, definitely let me know how it turns out. And I’ll report back to you and let you know if mine turns out orange lol.

  45. Brandi C. says

    Can you substitute Amazing Grass chocolate super food, amazing meal, or cocoa powder for the chocolate protein powder??

  46. Gloria says

    I tried it with the Amazing Grass Choc Amazing Meal and it didn’t puff up. So I added more pumpkin, stevia, pumpkin pie spice and had a delicious chocolate-pumpkin pie mush! Can’t waste food 😉 I’m going to Whole Foods… now… to get the NutriBiotic!

  47. Deb (SmoothieGirlEatsToo) says

    Hi Katie! So nice to be here right now!!!! OMG that looks amazing. And you hit the nail on the head: HoHo’s were my go-to ‘bad’ food when calories were no option and I weighed 90+ pounds more than today.

    Please forgive me if 102 people before me asked you (I didn’t read the other comments I’m afraid) but can you just use one egg white in place of the egg replacer (or two egg whites?)

    Thanks and hope you are well.

    Deb

  48. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    Deb,
    Hey girl!! I actually don’t cook with eggs, since I’m a vegan. So I really don’t know much about cooking with them. But HEAB used egg whites, I think. And Katie, of healthydivaeats.com did, too, so I’m guessing it works! 🙂

  49. Chris says

    Hi Katie,
    Can you please tell me the name of the NutriBiotic protein powder you use? I found a rice protein powder and whey powder. Which do you use?

    Thank you!

  50. themalikwhey says

    Okay, I gave it a go, with some alterations! I made one serving, using 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 egg white, 40ml water, 1/8 tsp baking powder, tiny pinch salt and 45g pumpkin. I mixed it all up, put it in a bowl and microwaved for about 30-60secs. If you undercook it slightly then you have a ready made chocolate sauce on top! I served mine with 2 tsp peanut butter.

    Thanks for posting this recipe! It was really delicious – so rare to try a protein powder recipe that doesn’t turn out dry and spongy!

  51. Tamar says

    I just read (and verified to the best of my abilities) that high temperatures denature protein, making it less soluble (and therefore less available for our bodies to use). Have you heard anything about this? It seems like it could render useless 25-50% of the grams of protein in these brownies. Boo!

  52. sabrina says

    definitely on the menu for when track season starts..yummy dessert+ high protein = perfection

    i thought you should know – if i ever go vegan (or vegetarian), it will be because of you and your awesome recipes…thank you so much for your awesome site!

  53. Lisa says

    I am a dialysis nurse, and one of our biggest struggles is getting our patients to eat enough protein. I came across this recipe while looking for tasty foods high in protein. I was wondering if you could tell me how much protein is in eat serving as well as the phosphorus content of each serving.

    Thank you for your help.

  54. Olivia says

    Hi Guys….Is here any way that I can use real eggs in this recipe as I can imagine in my area egg replacer will be very difficult to find or else very expensive

  55. Rebles says

    Made this today, it was delicious!!

    I only had vanilla rice protein (nutribiotic), so I used 1/4 cup of that and melted a few tbsp of semi-sweet chocolate chips and mixed them in…worked perfectly!! Of course, I added non-melted chocolate chips for good measure as well.

    I also just used a regular egg, and added cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice (to get myself psyched for fall). Amazing! I’m going to be making this all the time. I love it, my gluten-free mom loves it. Plus, my boyfriend (who is a gym rat) loves it and its a decent amount of protein for him 😀

  56. Brenna says

    Hi! I’ve always wanted to post something on the website because it’s absolutely incredible! I use it about every other day.. ha! I love experimenting with all the healthy ingredients! This recipe is the next one on my list 😉 thanks so much for posting everything, love love love it!!

  57. Rhonda says

    Hi Katie, I’m anxious to try this recipe, but I only have vanilla protein powder. I’m thinking it may work to add some cocoa to it but I’m unsure how much. I realize you probably don’t know the answer, but would you take a stab at it? I’m not an experimental cook so don’t trust myself, and I’m not sure how sweet the batter should taste before baking. Thanks so much!

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