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Healthy German Chocolate Mini Cakes (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)

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Healthy German Chocolate Mini Cakes (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)

There’s something about German Chocolate Cake that feels so rich, nostalgic, and soulful. Today, I’m sharing a healthier spin on the classic — Healthy German Chocolate Mini Cakes — made with wholesome ingredients you can feel good about. These little cakes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and sweetened naturally, but still capture the decadent flavor you know and love.

Perfect for a cozy afternoon treat, a mindful celebration, or just because… these mini cakes bring all the comfort without the sugar crash.

Ingredients

For the Cakes:

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or oat milk)
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or avocado oil)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (helps the cakes rise beautifully)

For the Coconut-Pecan Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a mini cake pan or line a standard muffin tin.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, maple syrup, almond milk, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar until well combined.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until a thick batter forms.
  5. Spoon the batter into your prepared pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full.
  6. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
  7. While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting:
  8. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk and maple syrup.
  9. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
  10. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, pecans, and shredded coconut.
  11. Once the cakes are cooled, top each one generously with the coconut-pecan frosting.
  12. (Optional but delightful) — Drizzle with melted dark chocolate or sprinkle extra chopped pecans on top!

Tips and Notes

  • This recipe yields about 10–12 mini cakes if using a standard muffin tin, or about 6–8 cakes if you’re using a 3-inch mini cake mold.
  • These little cakes freeze beautifully! Simply freeze them individually and thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
  • For an even lower sugar option, you can substitute monk fruit maple syrup or another low-glycemic sweetener.

Why You’ll Love These Mini Cakes

These Healthy German Chocolate Mini Cakes are rich in chocolate flavor, naturally sweet, and filled with that classic coconut-pecan goodness — but without the heaviness of traditional versions. They’re a beautiful reminder that nourishing yourself can still feel indulgent and celebratory.

A sweet little treat for any moment when you need a little extra joy.

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Red Velvet Cake Balls

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While I love a good ol’ classic cake I decided to try my hand at making red velvet cake into bite-sized treats for Valentines Day! An added punch of Wild Orange essential oil gives these an extra decadent flavor. If you have never added essential oils to food you’re missing out! Check out this free ebook download that explains many ways to use essential oils, including in food! Be sure to always check that your oils are tested for purity, though!

Okay, back to decadent chocolate goodness! These are so pretty and taste amazing!

How to Make Red Velvet Cake Balls

This tasty creation is made out of red velvet cake that is bonded together with homemade cream cheese frosting and coated in white chocolate. For an extra decadent finish, white chocolate and dusted the top with sprinkles for a stunning polish.

Make sure to add sprinkles before the chocolate dries to ensure that they firmly stick. We chose red and white for a color theme, but you could use sprinkles and sanding sugars in any array of colors to match a party theme, team uniforms, or holiday.

Ingredients

  • 1 (15.25-oz.) pkg. red velvet cake mix
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ? cup (2 2/3 oz.) salted butter, melted
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • Nonstick spray
  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (4 oz.) salted butter, softened
  • 4 cups (about 16 oz.) powdered sugar
  • 3 (10-oz.) pkg. white chocolate chips
  • 2 drops wild orange essential oil
  • Red and white sprinkles and sanding sugars

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cake mix, milk, melted butter, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes. Pour batter into 13- x 9-inch baking pan that has been sprayed.
  2. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 24 to 28 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto wire rack, and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
  3. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and softened butter with heavy-duty stand mixer fitted paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add powdered sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla, beating until blended. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Crumble cooled cake into a large bowl. Stir in 2 cups of cream cheese frosting. (Reserve any remaining frosting for another use.) Roll cake mixture into 48 balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Place balls on baking sheets, and cover with plastic wrap. Chill 8 hours or overnight.
  5. Melt 1 package of the white chocolate chips in a medium-size microwavable bowl in microwave according to package directions. Stir in two drops of wild orange essential oil. Start with 16 cake balls (continue to chill remaining 32 cake balls). Using a fork and working with 1 cake ball at a time, dip ball into melted wafers, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Place ball on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and immediately sprinkle with desired amount of sprinkles or sanding sugars. Repeat with remaining 15 cake balls and melted wafers in bowl, cleaning fork between each dip. Wipe bowl clean, and repeat 2 more times with remaining chilled cake balls and 2 packages of melting wafers, and desired amount of sprinkles. Chill until ready to serve.

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Heart Shaped Chocolate Cake

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Imagine a beautifully crafted heart-shaped cake, rich with deep chocolate layers that are both moist and decadent. Between each layer, a luscious raspberry filling adds a bright, slightly tart contrast to the deep cocoa flavors. The cake is coated in a smooth, glossy dark chocolate ganache that cascades over the sides, creating an irresistible sheen. With a hint of orange is infused into the ganache and the cake batter, offering a subtle citrusy warmth that enhances the chocolate’s richness.

I am a huge lover of chocolate but rarely take the time and effort to bake something from scratch. This year however I have committed to being more deliberate with how I choose to spend my “free” time. These heart shaped cake are the perfect thing!

This Valentine’s Day I wanted to be deliberate and intentional in creating something luscious, chocolatety, and seductive. A practice of self love and love for others, right?

Chocolate + raspberry with a minimal hint of orange will bring just that.

It may be a tad more work than a whipping up a cake mix from a box or buying something from the bakery, but I’m feeling excited to create something so wonderful. Be sure if you do choose to add the wild orange essential oil, you choose a pure, safe and reputable brand. I only use this one.

Intentional. Deliberate. And soooooo good.

Ingredients

Cake Mix:

  • 1 1/2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup of white sugar
  • 1/3 cup of dark cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 cup of water
  • 1/3 cup of avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon of white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 2 drops pure wild orange essential oil

Raspberry Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 4 ounces of cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup of raspberry jam
  • 1 cup of whipping cream
  • Two drops pure wild orange essential oil

Chocolate Ganache

  • 8 oz  dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for extra shine)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Red and white sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

  1. Beat softened cream cheese and raspberry in a bowl. Add powdered sugar and whipping cream, mix on high speed until smooth. Place in the refrigerator.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Next, add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat well until mixture has no lumps.
  3. Fill up each opening halfway with batter. If you decide to make cupcakes instead, fill up liners about a 1/3 full. You can find the mold I use in my Amazon shop below.
  4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Once done, place mini cakes on cooling rack and allow them to completely cool. (I place them in the refrigerator to speed up the process)
  5. Carefully cut the mini cakes lengthwise and place both halves on the cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath. (You’ll need it later to catch the excess chocolate)
  6. Add a spoonful of the raspberry filling to the flat side of one cake half and top with the second half.
  7. Melt dark or semi-sweet chocolate until smooth according to package instructions.
  8. Pour melted chocolate over mini cakes until fully covered. Smooth out with a spatula if needed. Add festive sprinkles or candies of your choice. Place in the refrigerator until chocolate sets.