This chocolate pound cake recipe from a mix is the ultimate time-saving balance for households looking to enjoy life’s sweet moments without compromising on nutrition. By starting with a standard boxed mix and incorporating a few clever baking shortcuts like using unsweetened applesauce to swap oil, it creates a better-for-you option while still achieving a cake-like texture.
As a home baker who has served this cake to unsuspecting chocolate lovers many times, I can assure you that nobody will be able to tell the difference with this lightened-up version. It still has that same natural moisture and depth of a chocolate fudge mix while yielding a dark, rich cake.
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Chocolate cake is a go-to birthday treat at my house. I love dressing it up with homemade frosting, decorations, and candles. It always makes a show-stopping presentation.
And while once-in-a-while celebrations are perfect for sweet cakes like that, this Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake is the perfect dessert to enjoy the rest of the year!
Bake this cake in a bundt pan for a beautiful ring-shaped presentation. Add a drizzle of homemade shiny chocolate glaze to elevate this healthier chocolate cake so it’s ready for a celebration, even on a weeknight.
Jump to:
- What is a Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake?
- Key Takeaways
- Ingredient Notes
- How To Make Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake
- How To Prepare Your Bundt Pan For Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake
- Removing Chocolate Cake From A Bundt Pan
- Making Shiny Chocolate Glaze
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pro Tips for the Best Bundt Cake
- Variations and Substitutions
- More Fun Bundt Cakes To Try
- Storage and Freezing
- More Dessert Recipes
- Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake
What is a Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake?
A healthier chocolate pound cake from a mix is an easy, health-conscious dessert shortcut that transforms a standard box of chocolate fudge cake mix into a dense, rich bundt cake. By replacing the oil and eggs with unsweetened applesauce and egg beaters or liquid egg whites, this significantly cuts down on the fat and calories while still maintaining a velvety, fudgy crumb.
The recipe is adapted from the Chocolate Cake Mix Doctor’s Good-For-You Chocolate Pound Cake, and it is so easy! I’m not too sure it’s really good for you, just lighter than most cakes.
Key Takeaways
- Boxed mix speeds up the prep time and ingredients!
- Same moist texture even with applesauce.
- Shiny chocolate glaze sets up beautifully for a rich chocolate finish.
- Easy to make ahead and have ready to go for dessert!
Ingredient Notes
Fudge Cake Mix: Use a standard cake mix for a flawless foundation for the cake.
Water: Used to hydrate the cake mix and also to smooth out the glossy glaze.
Unsweetened Applesauce: This is the main substitution to replace the oil entirely.
Egg Beaters: Provides the necessary structure to lift the cake; use egg beaters or egg whites.
Semisweet Chocolate Chips: Forms the decadent, chocolatey base of your pourable toppings.
Butter: Adds a tiny touch of rich flavor and helps the glaze maintain smooth texture.
Light Corn Syrup: The ingredient gives the glaze that beautiful, glossy shine.
How To Make Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake
Not only is this better-for-you chocolate pound cake moist, decadent, and lower in fat than your average cake, it’s also a shortcut recipe that starts with chocolate fudge cake mix.
That means this cake recipe is only four ingredients: chocolate cake mix, water, unsweetened applesauce, and Egg Beaters.
You only need a half cup of applesauce for this recipe. So if you don’t want to open a large jar, you can use a snack-size 3.9-ounce container.
For the fudgiest, chocolatiest flavor, use chocolate fudge cake mix for your cake batter.
How To Prepare Your Bundt Pan For Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake
It’s very important to thoroughly grease and flour your bundt pan for this cake recipe. You can use cocoa powder instead of flour, which won’t be as visible on the finished product.
Be sure to coat all of the creases and crannies of your bundt pan. Then add a small scoop of flour or cocoa and shake the pan around (over a sink to catch falling flour) to ensure the entire pan gets a good coating.
Make sure to bang the pan a few times to get out any excess flour or cocoa that doesn’t stick to the surface.
You can also use non-stick baking spray with flour, such as Baker’s Secret. Just be sure to use a paper towel to spread the spray into all the creases as well.
Removing Chocolate Cake From A Bundt Pan
If you did a good job greasing and flouring the bundt pan, removing the cake will be, well, a piece of cake.
To be extra sure your cake will release easily, you can gently run a knife along the inside of the bundt pan. Don’t forget the inner circle too.
Because the cake is so moist, the bottom can be a bit sticky. It’s best to avoid moving the cake multiple times, so for ease, turn your cake out of the bundt pan directly onto your serving plate.
Making Shiny Chocolate Glaze
To top off this lightened up chocolate bundt cake, make a simple shiny chocolate glaze. In fact, this glaze is a great recipe to top any baked good.
To make the glaze, simply combine chocolate chips, butter, and light corn syrup in a saucepan. Melt the chocolate and add just enough water to bring your glaze to a thin consistency that can be easily poured over your cake.
It’s important to stir the glaze regularly with a whisk while cooking to ensure the ingredients are fully combined and don’t burn.
To apply the glaze to your cake, you can drizzle it on with a spoon, or fill a piping bag (no tip required) or a Ziploc bag with the still-warm glaze. Cut one corner off of the bag and drizzle the glaze over the cake.
Note that the shiny chocolate glaze sets up quickly. Therefore, use it when it’s still warm. The glaze will cool right away on the cake, so it’s not very spreadable after you drizzle it on.
I like the drizzly look of the glaze poured directly over the cake anyway!
Frequently Asked Questions
This cake is moist and tender, and it will keep well covered on your counter for several days. If you plan to make the cake in advance and freeze it, let it cool fully before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and putting it in the freezer.
When freezing the cake, glaze the cake just before serving.
Using liquid products like Egg Beaters removes the fat and cholesterol found in a whole egg and still keeps a high-quality protein egg white to make sure the structure of the cake stays as expected.
Not at all! The robust chocolate fudge flavor is built into the cake mix, which overrides the taste of applesauce. The fruit simply acts as a stealthy vehicle for moisture, leaving you with a rich, pure chocolate cake.
Bundt pans have intricate designs that love to trap the batter. Use a pastry brush or paper towel to manually press the grease into every single corner, or use a high-quality baking spray. They also release best when cooled.
Pro Tips for the Best Bundt Cake
- Use cocoa powder for dusting instead of flour; this will keep the cake looking dark and chocolaty.
- Don’t use sweetened applesauce or it can make the cake taste too sweet.
- Work quickly with the glaze before it sets.
- Let it fully cool before glazing.
Variations and Substitutions
Coffee Boost – Replace 1 cup of water in the cake batter with cool, brewed black coffee. Coffee doesn’t make the cake taste like mocha; it just makes the chocolate richer.
Add Texture – Fold a half-cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or finely chopped walnuts into the batter just before pouring it into the bundt pan.
Berry Garnish – Skip the glaze entirely and dust the top with a tiny bit of powdered sugar, filling the center ring of the bundt cake with fresh raspberries and strawberries.
More Fun Bundt Cakes To Try
Don’t put away that bundt pan just yet! If you and your family love this better-for-you cake, try these other beautiful bundt cake recipes:
- Best Ever Coconut Bundt Cake certainly deserves its name. It’s incredibly moist and full of coconut flavor.
- Caramel Apple Bundt Cake from Taste and Tell Blog is a bundt cake made for the fall: it’s filled with warming apple flavor and topped with a decadent caramel glaze.
- Lemon Bliss Bundt Cake is light, lemony, and perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Storage and Freezing
Room Temperature
Store the glazed cake under a cake dome or wrapped in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer
Wrap individual unglazed slices or the entire unglazed loaf in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Thawing
Thaw frozen slices on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes or warm in the microwave for 10 seconds.
More Dessert Recipes
This healthier chocolate pound cake from a mix is simple to make with a few clever pantry swaps; you can serve a gorgeous, decadent bundt cake that satisfies everyone’s sweet tooth while keeping things a little lighter. Dust off your bundt pan and enjoy as a stress-free slice of comfort this week.
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Healthier Chocolate Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 package 15.25-ounces chocolate fudge cake mix
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¾ cup Egg Beaters
SHINY CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 5 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 – 3 teaspoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 10 or 12-cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour.
- Place the cake mix, water, applesauce, and Egg Beaters in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.
- Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed, 37 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto a rack or serving plate to cool completely, 20 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, prepare the Shiny Chocolate Glaze. Place the chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the chocolate and butter melt, about 2 minutes. Add water, ½ teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is a pourable consistency.
- Pour or drizzle the glaze over the cake. To drizzle, put the glaze in a pastry bag without a tip or a Ziploc bag and cut open one corner. Note that the glaze will not be spreadable after it’s drizzled onto the cake.
Notes
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Kathleen
I made bundt cakes for my son’s wedding rehearsal dinner and glazed them with this recipe. I made a chocolate bundt cake with vanilla glaze — used this recipe but used white chocolate instead of chocolate — and made a yellow bundt cake with the chocolate glaze. People loved them. My younger son said he’s never been crazy about bundt cakes before but with these glazes, he really enjoyed them this time. The glaze recipe that Barbara has posted is not just easy to make, but pretty (very shiny and stays shiny) and delicious!
Thank you, Barbara.
Sally T.
looks so good
Barbara Bakes
I haven't made this for a while. I need to make it again soon!
Barbara Bakes
Thanks Jenny – I’m planning on making your coconut cupcakes to take to an upcoming meeting. I really enjoy your blog.
Jenny
Yum!! I’ll have to try that healthier version. Looks chocolatey and beautiful