Healthy Blackberry Snack Cake
Healthy Blackberry Snack Cake is one of the best snack cake recipes with whole grains, no refined sugar and sweet, juicy blackberries!
Meet my latest obsession. This Healthy Blackberry Snack Cake has been on repeat for the past month and a half at least and it’s not even close to getting old. It’s amazing how a baked good can be so moist and delicious and still be good for you. It’s nothing short of a miracle!
That’s a little dramatic, but I told you — I’m obsessed.
The inspiration for this snack cake came from a couple of blogging friends of mine. Ashley’s Trail Mix Applesauce Bread and Liren’s Applesauce Chia Muffins both inspired me to bake with applesauce for the first time in a long time.
I tried both recipes and loved them. They both had a moist, fluffy texture, which was largely due to the applesauce. I’ve been baking with it more ever since and it truly makes a difference.
This snack cake is something that you can enjoy all day long. It’s great for breakfast with coffee. It’s fabulous as a snack (as the name implies). And dessert? It’s perfect for that too.
I don’t take the word “healthy” lightly, so for me to use it means a lot. We all have our own definition of what healthy means to us, but here’s what it means to me:
- 100% whole grains
- Unrefined sugar
- Low in fat
- Fruits or veggies are incorporated
- Good nutritional value
The last one on the list sums it all up. Eating healthfully means fueling myself with food that’s high in nutrients and fiber and low in cholesterol and fat.
It also means using minimally processed food. Let’s face it — the more our food is in it’s natural state the better it is for us.
This One Bowl Healthy Blackberry Snack Cake can’t be compared to a salad of course, but when you want a baked good to enjoy for breakfast, snack, or dessert, this is the way to do it!
Let’s break down what makes this snack cake so healthy — and special.
This snack cake fulfills my requirements for maximum nutrition with 100% whole grains. I used a combination of whole wheat flour and oat flour, which is my new favorite combination. Normally whole wheat flour results in a dense texture, but the oat flour lightened it considerably.
I used coconut sugar, which is unrefined. You could argue that sugar is sugar, but coconut sugar is lower on the glycemic index and it’s in it’s natural state. When you need to use sugar in your baking, it’s a great option.
This snack cake is also low in fat with only 9 grams per serving, 5 of which come from the pecans. This is where the applesauce helped us out. It adds a substantial amount of moistness to the cake which minimizes the amount of oil that’s needed.
The applesauce also gave this cake a nutrition boost right along with the fresh blackberries.
The fact that this One Bowl Healthy Blackberry Snack Cake can be made in one bowl makes it even more appealing to me. It’s healthy, delicious, and there’s only one bowl to wash. It really doesn’t get much better than this!
Recipe Notes:
- To make your own oat flour, place rolled oats in a food processor and process until fine.
- Be sure to use no sugar added applesauce to minimize the amount of sugar.
- The coconut sugar may be substituted with granulated or brown sugar.
- The coconut oil may be substituted with canola oil.
- Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Healthy Blackberry Snack Cake
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup no sugar added applesauce
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted; sub with your favorite oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cup chopped fresh blackberries
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8″ square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat lightly with a whisk. Add the applesauce, coconut sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk well to combine.
- Add the whole wheat and oat flours, stirring until almost combined. Add the blackberries and fold gently until incorporated being careful not to over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the pecans if using and bake in the center rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top springs back when pressed with your finger, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack and cut into squares. Enjoy!
Notes
- *To make your own oat flour, place rolled oats in a food processor and process until fine.
- The coconut sugar may be substituted with granulated or brown sugar.
- Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
31 Comments on “Healthy Blackberry Snack Cake”
What a pretty snack cake, Marcie! I’ve been obsessed with berries this season , too, so this cake is just what I need to put that to use. And because it’s a ‘snack’ cake, that means I can have more, right? 🙂 Such a pretty spring/summer dessert!
Thanks Gayle and I do believe you can have more because snack is in the title! 🙂
A cake that is also good for you!? Marcie, I haven’t even tried this yet, and I’m already obsessed! 🙂 Plus this is made in just one bowl!? AND filled with blueberries?! YES PLEASE! I love the applesauce in here too, I bet this cake is perfectly moist!! Can’t wait to try it! Cheers! <3
Thanks Cheyanne and Happy Monday!
This sounds SO perfect right now! I love any cake that I can eat for breakfast; I’m so glad it’s actually healthy, too. My pet peeve lately is recipes labeled “healthy” that are loaded with overly processed ingredients. I have to try this! Happy Monday, Marcie!
This is a baked good that I feel good about eating and blackberries are so good right now! Thanks Kelsie and hope your week is off to a great start!
I LOVE snack cakes like this! I can see why you’d be obsessed! I’m all about baking with oat flour and coconut sugar and my mouth is watering over those tangy-sweet blackberries. This should definitely be my new afternoon snack!
Thanks Julia! The hardest part is deciding what time of day to eat it! 🙂
Mmm, this snack cake looks awesome! I love baking with apple sauce – gives it that moistness without all of the empty calories and fat from using a lot of oil. I bought blackberries last week for the first time in quite awhile, and am loving the fruit that’s available here this time of the year! I’ve been munching on cherries for a few days now.
Thanks Nicole! Applesauce really does make a difference in texture and nutritional value!
This looks perfect to munch on for breakfast or a snack! I love how wholesome it is and only one bowl too? Sign me up please, it looks delicious!!
Thanks so much Kelly!
healthy cake? Yes please! I am always looking for ways to include cake in my diet..haha.. looks fantastic Marcie!
Sounds like we’re on the same page when it comes to cake! Thanks Manali!
Love a good one-bowl cake! Those berries and the combination of healthy ingredients makes the cake sounds so delicious and healthy!
Thank you Balvinder!
Yesssss to baking with applesauce!! It really is the best! I LOVE the sound of this snack cake!! I tend to always forget about blackberries (due to my obsession with strawberries & blueberries) but I really need to use them more often! I’ll take a huge piece please!
From now on if there are no bananas in my recipe it will be applesauce! I have no idea why I got away from it. One giant piece is on its way! 🙂
A good looking, delicious cake is always welcome here. And I am so much in love with the fact that this blackberry snack cake is healthy. Another reason to have it! Loving all the ingredients you have used here. 🙂
Thanks so much Anu!
All the healthy ingredients with all the deliciousness.Totally amazing:)
Thank you Maria!
I can see why you’re obsessed, Marcie! This snack cake looks incredible and I’m loving that wholesome ingredient list. It’s making me want to bake with applesauce now too!
Thank you Sarah and you’ll love what the applesauce does to baked goods!
Thank you Juliana!
A delicious snack full of wholesome ingredients and I love that it is not overly sweet! I had to use a sugar substitute (for a special needs diet), regular oil and used blueberries because that is all I had and I really wanted to try the recipe. I did not use the nuts, but think they would be a tasty addition. I am adding this to my favorite recipes, thanks for posting.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake Kat and I appreciate your taking the time to leave me your feedback! I’ve made it with blueberries too and loved it. Thanks and have a great day!
Awesome recipe! I’ve made it twice now, and it’s always come out tasting yummy & wholesome. I’ve reduced the amount of sugar both times & still found it perfectly sweet!
On the second go round, I tried mashing the blackberries with a few teaspoons of lemon juice instead of chopping them, then reducing the applesauce to a half a cup to compensate for the extra moisture. Each approach has its unique benefits, but I’d definitely recommend the mashing method to anyone who wishes the blackberry flavor was more evenly distributed throughout the cake.
Thanks for the recipe— and for introducing me to the oat flour trick! It’s a game changer 😉
I love the idea to mash the blackberries! Thanks for sharing your feedback.
I’m not much of a baker, but this is so easy to make. I have two toddlers and make this on a monthly sometimes even weekly basis. I love making these to share on play dates or as a classroom treat, since our preschools have a low-sugar organic food policy.
I’m so glad that you’re enjoying this recipe — thanks for sharing!