Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake Bars
Sugar-Free Chocolate Cake Bars
Deep, dark chocolate sponge under a thick swirl of creamy chocolate frosting — no sugar anywhere
These sugar-free chocolate cake bars are proper chocolate cake — a deep, moist sponge sliced into bars and spread thick with smooth chocolate frosting, exactly like the photo. No sugar, no flour, all chocolate.
Estimated per bar: 210 calories, 5g protein and 6g net carbs. Ready in about 55 minutes, plus cooling.
Why you'll love these chocolate cake bars
- Completely sugar-free — sponge and frosting both
- Deep, dark chocolate flavour from bloomed cocoa
- Thick, smooth frosting layer just like the photo
- Just 6g net carbs per bar with almond flour
- Bars slice clean — perfect for sharing and lunchboxes
- Tastes like the chocolate cake everyone remembers
Health notes
- Sugar-free sweeteners: Granulated in the sponge, powdered in the frosting — no sugar at any layer.
- Almond flour: Low-carb, moist crumb with healthy fats.
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened, so the chocolate flavour comes without hidden sugar.
- Hot coffee: Blooming the cocoa in hot liquid deepens the chocolate without any coffee taste.
- Estimated macros: No nutrition card came with this one, so values are estimated and kept consistent throughout.
Key element — cool completely before frosting
Frost a warm cake and the butter frosting melts, slides and soaks in. Cool the sponge fully — at least 30 minutes — and the frosting sits in that thick, smooth, swirl-able layer from the photo.
Ingredients
Cake bars
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar-free sweetener (monk fruit or erythritol)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup hot strong coffee or hot water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 Tbsp butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar-free sweetener
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 Tbsp heavy cream, as needed
- Pinch of salt
Swaps
- No coffee: Hot water blooms the cocoa just fine — the coffee only deepens flavour.
- Dairy-free: Use coconut oil, dairy-free yogurt and a dairy-free frosting base.
- Extra dark: Add ¼ cup sugar-free chocolate chips to the batter.
- Cupcakes: Bake in 12 muffin cups for 18–20 minutes instead.
Instructions
| 1 | Heat and prep. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for lifting the bars out. |
| 2 | Bloom the cocoa. Whisk the cocoa into the hot coffee (or hot water) until smooth and glossy. This unlocks the deepest chocolate flavour. Cool slightly. |
| 3 | Mix the batter. Whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs, melted butter, yogurt and vanilla in a second bowl, then stir in the cocoa mixture. Fold wet into dry until just combined. |
| 4 | Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the lined pan. Bake 25–28 minutes until the top springs back and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. |
| 5 | Cool completely. Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes — fully cool before frosting, or the frosting melts. Use oven mitts for the hot pan when moving it to a rack. |
| 6 | Frost and slice. Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sweetener, cocoa, vanilla, salt and enough cream for a smooth, thick frosting. Spread it over the cooled cake in swirls like the photo, then slice into 12 bars. |
Pro tips
- Bloom the cocoa in hot liquid — it's the deepest-chocolate shortcut there is.
- Room-temperature eggs stop the melted butter seizing.
- Frost only a fully cool cake. Warm sponge melts frosting into a slick.
- Dip the knife in hot water and wipe between cuts for photo-clean bars.
- Powdered sweetener in frosting, always — granulated stays gritty.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per bar (est.) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 210 |
| Protein | 5g |
| Net carbohydrates | 6g |
| Total carbohydrates | 9g |
| Fiber | 3g |
| Total fat | 17g |
| Sodium | 190mg |
Estimated per bar (12 bars), based on almond flour, cocoa and sugar-free sweeteners in both sponge and frosting. Exact macros vary with brands.
Variations
Mocha
Keep the coffee and add 1 tsp espresso powder to the frosting.
Peanut butter swirl
Swirl ¼ cup melted sugar-free peanut butter through the frosting.
Double chocolate
Fold ½ cup sugar-free chocolate chips into the batter.
Mint chocolate
Add ¼ tsp peppermint extract to the frosting.
Storage
| Method | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 6 days | Cream-cheese frosting means these live in the fridge; serve at room temperature |
| Freezer | Up to 3 months | Freeze frosted bars on a tray, then wrap; thaw overnight in the fridge |
| Room temperature | Up to 1 day | Unfrosted sponge only, covered |
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