Protein Cake
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This delicious chocolate protein cake is guaranteed to be your new favorite dessert! It’s rich, moist, naturally sweetened and packed with 15 grams of protein per slice.
If you love chocolate cake but also love sneaking a little extra protein into your day, this one’s for you.
This cake is seriously my new obsession — it’s rich, fudgy and perfectly moist all while being packed with protein thanks to the chocolate protein powder and Greek yogurt. And trust me, nobody will even be able to tell that this cake is made healthier. It’s guaranteed to be everyone’s new favorite dessert!
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“This cake was delicious! My husband was skeptical and then proceeded to devour it saying how delicious it was! You would never know this cake is high protein or much healthier than regular cake. I will absolutely be adding this to my regular rotation of treats to make! Even my very picky toddlers ate it for breakfast with yogurt on top!!”
Why I Love This Protein Cake
- Protein-packed: One slice is packed with 15 grams of protein!
- Easy to make: This recipe comes together quickly with simple, pantry staple ingredients.
- Made with simple ingredients: It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and made with oat flour, so it feels indulgent without being over the top.
- Versatile: Whether it’s a post-workout treat, a birthday celebration, or just an everyday dessert, this cake is always a good idea.
Ingredients Needed
As I mentioned above, you only need simple, pantry staple ingredients to make this recipe that you probably already have in your kitchen!
- oat flour – we’re using oat flour to keep this cake gluten-free. You can use store-bought or make homemade oat flour using rolled oats.
- chocolate protein powder – adds richness, structure, and boosts the protein content of the cake. A plant-based chocolate protein powder works best here.
- cocoa powder – deepens the chocolate flavor and gives the cake that rich, fudgy vibe. Use unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder.
- maple syrup – naturally sweetens the cake without overpowering the chocolate. Be sure to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- unsweetened almond milk – helps keep the cake moist and balances out the dry ingredients. any milk works here, but unsweetened almond milk is my go-to.
- full fat plain greek yogurt – key for a moist, tender crumb and adds even more protein. I recommend full-fat or 2 percent for the best texture.
- eggs – binds the ingredients together and adds structure to the cake.
- chocolate ganache – a simple chocolate topping made with melted chocolate and almond milk. It takes this cake from good to absolutely crave-worthy.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Protein Cake
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. Add the oat flour, protein powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients. Add maple syrup, almond milk, yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to fully combine, until smooth.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared 8″ cake pan and bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Step 5: While the cake is cooling, make the ganache frosting.
Step 6: Frost the top of the cake, serve, and enjoy!
Brittany’s Tip
This cake bakes best with a plant-based chocolate protein powder. I tested it with Sun Warrior and Nuzest and both worked really well. I don’t recommend using whey protein here, as it tends to absorb too much liquid and can make the cake dry and dense.
If you use Nuzest, you can use code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order.
How to Store Leftovers
- Room temperature: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. This works best if you plan to enjoy it quickly and want to keep the texture soft and moist.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep the cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like letting a slice sit out for a few minutes before eating so it softens back up.
- Freezing: You can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! I love the chocolate ganache topping, but feel free to use your favorite frosting for this cake. For more of a real deal frosting try this vanilla buttercream frosting or strawberry buttercream frosting. This peanut butter yogurt frosting or healthy chocolate frosting would also be delicious!
Protein cakes can turn out dry if too much protein powder or flour is used. Measuring the oat flour correctly and using Greek yogurt are key for keeping this cake moist and tender.
More Protein-Packed Treats to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Protein Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- ¾ cup oat flour
- 1 cup vegan chocolate protein powder, I used Sun Warrior
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup full fat plain greek yogurt
- ¼ cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 8” round cake pan with cooking spray.
- Add oat flour, protein powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.¾ cup oat flour, 1 cup vegan chocolate protein powder, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add maple syrup, almond milk, yogurt, oil, eggs and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.¾ cup maple syrup, ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, ½ cup full fat plain greek yogurt, ¼ cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to fully combine, until smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from three oven and let cool completely before frosting.
- While cake is cooling, make the ganache frosting. Add chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second increments until fully melted. This should take 45-60 seconds. Once melted add milk and stir to combine.½ cup dark chocolate chips, 3 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- Frost the top of the cake and serve!
Notes
- Protein powder: This cake bakes best with a plant-based chocolate protein powder. Whey protein can make the cake dry and dense.
- Storage: Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze unfrosted cake for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Ganache is usually made with butter/milk/chocolate or whipping cream/chocolate. How does using the almond milk only taste…would like to know before I try!
Great question! The almond milk version is still rich and chocolatey, just a bit lighter than a traditional cream-based ganache. It sets up nicely once the cake cools and pairs really well with the cake without feeling heavy.
Delicious. Made this for my husband’s birthday and we all loved it. Thanks again for another great recipe!
Would you recommend just using protein powder without a sweetener? I’m planning on using the Orgain Vanilla Bean plant protein powder, which already has stevia in it. It’s pretty sweet to me. I’ll compensate the chocolate flavor with an extra 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. I just wonder if it’d be sweet enough. I often make mug cakes with just the Orgain protein powder and it tends to be sweet enough for me.
Great question, Jake! Since the maple syrup is doing most of the sweetening here, I wouldn’t recommend removing it completely, but you could try reducing it if your protein powder is already quite sweet and adjust to taste.
Delicious! Made this for my husbands birthday, will definitely make again!
So glad this recipe was a hit, Keely! I love that you made it for your husband’s birthday and that it’s already on your make-again list. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a review.
Can I use 2% greek yogurt??
I haven’t tested this recipe with 2% yogurt, but it will likely work. Just keep in mind the cake may be a bit less moist than if you use full-fat.
I’ve made this recipe weekly and double the recipe for protein cake treats. Probably made 8 cakes at this point. I freeze one cake and then eat it to up my cals and protein. it’s perfect!
Ive made this multiple times just cut some of the sweetness out of it and it’s perfect for me
I’m so glad you’ve been loving this recipe and were able to adjust it to fit your taste preference. 🙂
Hi, I’d like to try this but can’t have nut products. can I substitute the almond milk for any other types of milk?
No worries, Katt! Almond milk can easily be swapped for dairy milk or another non-dairy milk like oat or soy.
This is one of the few healthy/protein recipes that actually taste really good in both flavour and texture!
I’ve tried your recipe as is the first time, but the second time I left out the maple syrup (since my protein powder is sweetened already) and replaced the oil by 1/4 cup mashed banana. The result was pretty much the same!
I did also use coffee flavoured vegan protein powder which worked great with the chocolate.
That sounds great, Eva! Love that the coffee-flavored protein powder worked so well, and it’s awesome to hear the banana swap worked too. Thanks for sharing your tweaks and for leaving a review—I really appreciate it!
Can this be made with whey protein?
Great question, Emerly. I wouldn’t recommend using whey protein, as it doesn’t absorb liquid the same way and could affect the texture. Hope that helps!
I’m back with one more comment. Don’t make the ganache while the cake is cooling because next thing you know the ganache has hardened and the cake is still warm and you can’t apply it (ask me how I know haha).
I was wondering, how can we add some espresso to the mix so we can enhance the choco flavor?
Oh dang!! Sorry that happened to you. Good tip, for sure! You can certainly add espresso powder to the cake batter, but I haven’t tested it so I’m not sure how much. Maybe start with 1-2 teaspoons? Let me know if you try and it and how the cake turns out.
Great recipe! I used the Naked pea protein powder (vanilla because they don’t have chocolate that I know of). Turned out great. Unexpectedly good. I’m thinking of using black cacao next time to give it darker color which I find more appealing.
btw, the recipe calls for Cacao not Cocoa. 🙂
So glad this cake turned out for you, Evalata! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I was skeptical, boy was I wrong!
Oh yay!! This makes me so happy to hear, Denise! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and star rating!
Oh yay!! SO glad you gave this recipe a try and loved it! Thanks for making and for coming back to leave a star review. I so appreciate it!
I made this cake and my boyfriend loved it. He was so happy with how moist and chocolatey it was. That’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on! YUM!
P.S. I am gluten- and dairy-free, so I used dairy-free yogurt, which turned out perfect.
Thanks, Brittany!
WOO! This is amazing, Zara. I am so glad this cake turned out great and you both enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to share your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
My husband loves protein recipe and no sugar recipe so I tried yours and It was super easy and was really yummy!!!!! I will definitely make it again soon 💞 Thank you so much 🙂 Highly recommended!
WOO! This makes me so happy to hear, Mana. I am so glad you and your husband are loving this cake and it turned out great for you. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
do you have a chocolate cake recipe without the protein? thanks!
Hi Ashley! Unfortunately, I don’t have a chocolate cake on my site yet. You could try adding some cocoa powder in place of some of the flour in my Healthy Birthday Cake, but I haven’t tested this so I am not exactly sure how it would turn out. Let me know if you give it a try!
The ads on your site make following the recipe really challenging.
I am so sorry they are making it difficult, Krista. You can always hit the “jump to recipe” button on the top of the page and then select “print” on the recipe card and it’ll take you to a page to see the recipe without any ad’s. Hope that helps!
My son is very committed to a no sugar diet. His 16th birthday is coming up and I would love to make a cake that he will actually eat. I assume the protein powder is already sweet. Would it be ok to omit the maple syrup? I would still do the chocolate ganache with the lilys chocolate chips.
Hi Perla! Most protein powders are already sweetened, so I would make sure to check for that. You could try sugar free maple syrup, but I would be worried omitting it completely would change the texture of the cake. Let me know how it turns out for you!
I only have vanilla protein powder. Do you think it would work with everything else remaining the same?
Hi Terri – I am not sure how the flavor would turn out. The chocolate protein powder adds the chocolate flavor plus sweetness.
The first time I used this recipe I only had vanilla protein powder and it gave it almost a “devil dog” taste, like a lighter chocolate? It was VERY good. We’ve since tried it with the PB fit powder and then drizzled PB fit mixed with water – ALSO VERY GOOD!
WOO! This sounds amazing, Kristin! I am so glad you are loving this cake and it turned out amazing for you! Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
I asked my husband to bake this for my birthday. Everyone was skeptical when I told them it was protein cake, but they all really liked it. My mother in law even had a second slice!
Consistency was great, and the flavor was so good. Didn’t miss a regular cake at all! Used the Simple Eats Chocolate Brownie Batter protein.
WOO! This seriously makes me so happy to hear, Nicole. I am so glad you both loved this cake and it turned out amazing for you. Thanks so much for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
I’m dairy free. Can I use unsweetened coconut yogurt instead of Greek yogurt?
Yes, you can! Enjoy!
Hi will it be ok if I were to use dutch process cocoa?
Instead of cocoa powder?
I bought Sun Warrior chocolate protein powder to make this and my husband and I both think it’s delicious! I’m blown away by how much protein it has for a dessert. The texture is perfect for a cake and it has the right amount of sweetness. The ganache is a must! You should totally do other variations of this for your blog, or at least a vanilla version!
Amazing! I am so glad you gave this one a try and it turned out great for you, Molly! Yes, I’ve got to test a vanilla version. Thanks so much for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it so much!
I’d like to try this with monk fruit. Any idea how much to equal the amount of maple syrup? BTW, I love your recipes.
Hi Barbara – I haven’t tried this recipe with monk fruit syrup, but you’ll want to use two parts Monk Fruit Liquid for every one part maple syrup. Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!
This cake was delicious! My husband was skeptical and then proceeded to devour it saying how delicious it was! You would never know this cake is high protein or much healthier than regular cake. I will absolutely be adding this to my regular rotation of treats to make! Even my very picky toddlers ate it for breakfast with yogurt on top!!
YESS! This seriously makes me so happy to hear. Glad you and the family are loving this cake, Jennifer. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!