This week’s Sunday Supper is being hosted by the amazing Sue of Sue’s Nutrition Buzz. Sue works magic in the kitchen by transforming what would ordinarily be fat-laden, cholesterol-causing, indulgent dishes and making them nutritious yet still delicious. I have no such ability, as this week’s post demonstrates.
This cake was supposed to be skinny. It was supposed to be rich in taste but a healthier version of the normal chocolate cake. I made a vegan chocolate avocado cake from a trusted blog, one that never steers me wrong, and I was pretty excited about it. No eggs, no butter, just olive oil and avocado as the fats. It smelled amazing as it was baking. I took it out of a oven, let it cool, and when I cut into it, I knew something was wrong. It was super moist but not in a good way. The inside of the cake was totally gummy. Disgustingly, mouth-stickingly thick, viscous and glutinous. As I chewed, it would form a gelatinous blob in my mouth. Not appetizing at all. To continue my losing streak, I attempted an avocado frosting that looked delightfully thick, luscious and fluffy online. Here’s what mine looked like:
You don’t have to tell me what it looks like – I already know! It’s what comes out of your nose when you have a really really bad cold, bordering on bronchitis.
An epic fail of massive proportions! I was devastated. I spent a whole freaking day making these things.
Since I’m notorious for procrastinating and doing everything last minute, I didn’t have enough time to search for another healthy chocolate avocado cake that may or may not turn out. I sent an SOS message to the Big Sis From Another Miss asking for her amazing chocolate avocado cake recipe. She made one years ago that was incredibly luscious, creamy, and decadent. I couldn’t believe it when she told me that there was avocado in there. She graciously shared her recipe with me and even though my eyes bugged out when I saw the cup of butter and the four eggs in the recipe, I forged ahead because I couldn’t come to the Sunday Supper dinner table empty-handed.
The universe is obviously telling me that I shouldn’t bother making healthy foods. It’s just not in my nature. If you want a recipe that will be good for your waistline, scroll down to the bottom of this post and visit all my Sunday Supper friends. If you want cake that’s full of butter and sugar, with a dash of healthy avocado and ground almonds, then stick with Fatty McHeartDisease here.
To redeem myself, let me say in my defence that avocados are pretty healthy. A quick googling of its benefits tells me that avocados are rich in cartenoids (acts as an antioxidant and helps prevent eye disease), full of fibre (yay for regularity!), help stabilize blood sugar, full of folate, and most importantly, can prevent bad breath. What can’t this green wonder do?! And of course, the almonds are a healthier alternative to flour: their fats come mainly from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and there’s plenty of magnesium, vitamin E and some iron and calcium in there. Not too shabby! And if I’m wrong about any of this info, I blame the internet and I’m sure Sue will set me straight!
This recipe is from the Associated Press, as passed along to me by the BSFAM. I’ve commented several times on this lady’s incredible baking skills and to my delight, she just started her own blog at When Ali Cooks. She’s absolutely wonderful so stop by, say hello and drool over her yummy recipes.
Chocolate Avocado Cake (adapted from the Associated Press)
6.5 ounces ground almond
1 cup sugar, divided
7 ounces dark chocolate
6 ounces unsalted butter
1 tbsp flour
4 large eggs separated
2 ripe fresh avocados, mashed (I did this in my food processor)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cream of tartar
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
Butter a 20 cm (8 inch) springform pan, line it with parchment paper, then turn the paper over.
Melt the butter and chocolate together and stir to combine. I did this in the microwave – quick ‘n easy!
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs yolks. Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar and continue whisking until the yolks are thick. Add the avocados and whisk together. Stir in the vanilla, chocolate/butter mixture and the ground almonds. Combine.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium speed until peaks form. Slowly add in the other 1/2 cup of sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of the beaten egg whites into your batter to lighten it, as it will be very thick. Fold the rest of the egg whites into the batter in 3-5 parts. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan.
Remove the sides of your springform pan. Store in the fridge and serve chilled.
I need to give a shout-out to the Husband for help with this post. He’s the one who took the photos of the slice of cake. I’m trying to improve my photography skills and since he knows way more about cameras and photography than I do, he was giving me a brief tutorial. Thanks for being such a trooper, hun.
I took a few liberties with the original recipe (it’s supposed to have ground pistachios – yum!) so maybe one of these days, either myself or the BSFAM will blog about it in it’s true form. Even with my changes, this cake tasted just as good as it did the first time I tasted it. There’s a lovely contrast in texture from the creamy, rich chocolate cake and the ground nuts. You don’t taste the avocado at all. Sure, there’s a cup of butter in there, but the fattiness of the avocado definitely lends itself well to this cake.
Not quite guilt-free indulging. Maybe make one of these amazing, healthy recipes first and then you can have a slice of this cake!
Sizzling Skinny Appetizers & Soups
- Napa Cabbage wrapped Chinese Spring Rolls by Small Wallet Big Appetite
- #DairyFree Cream of Broccoli Soup by Galactosemia in PDX
- Easy Vegan Lentil Soup by NeighborFood
- Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup by Food Lust People Love
- Tomato Basil Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
- Skinny Beef Chili by Webicurean
Healthy Skinny Mains & Sides
- Chicken with Herb Tomatoes and Pan Sauce by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
- Kale Salad with Pomegranates, Apples and Walnuts by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Skinny Salad Wraps by MamaMommyMom
- Mashed Cauliflower by Supper for a Steal
- Lamb Florentine Burger with Tzatziki by Country Girl in the Village
- Skinny Avocado Egg Salad Wraps by The Daily Dish Recipes
- Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad by Family Foodie
- Parchment-Poached Salmon by Simply Gourmet
- Maddy’s Arugula Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Cauliflower Pizza by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Light chicken enchiladas by My Cute Bride
- Pear Almond Arugula Salad with Honey Vinaigrette by Vintage Kitchen
- Pasta Primavera by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Cauliflower Fried Rice by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Ahi Tuna Salad by The Urban Mrs
- Soba Noodles with Edamame and Green Onions by Hip Foodie Mom
- Scallops Hong Kong Style by Magnolia Days
- Slow Cooker Pork and Green Chile Stew by Momma’s Meals
- Roasted Garlic, Chicken & Herb White Pizza by Dinners Dishes and Desserts
- Polynesian Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Herb Roasted Salmon with Steamed Cabbage & Peas by The Lovely Pantry
- Turkey and Black Bean Taco Burgers by In The Kitchen With K P
- Salmon Tikka Wraps with Cucumber Raita by Soni’s Food
- Whole wheat pasta with Spicy Roasted Cauliflower by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
- Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs by I Run For Wine
- Chipotle Black Bean Burgers with Baked Garlic Home Fries by Curious Cuisiniere
- The Ninja Baker’s Sake & Miso Salmon by Ninja Baking
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers with Parsnip Fries by Gourmet Drizzles
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Smoked Sausage Cassoulet by The Weekend Gourmet
- Cumin Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots by Mangoes and Chutney
- Italian Sub Salad by Diabetic Foodie
- Swiss Chard and Quinoa Croquettes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Broccoli Patties with Arugula and Champagne Vinaigrette by Sustainable Dad
- Raw Kale Salad with Chickpeas and Salmon in Orange Dressing by Shockingly Delicious
- Greek Yogurt Egg Salad Sandwich by Damn Delicious
- Confetti Cabbage and Salmon Wraps by The Roxx Box
- Escarole and Beans by Midlife Roadtrip
- Cajun Black Beans by Ruffles and Truffles
- Caprese salad by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
- Skinny Wholegrain Fettuccine Alfredo with Greek Yogurt & Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Guilt Free Skinny Desserts & Snacks
- Chocolate Avocado Cake by Gotta Get Baked
- Tiramisu Parfaits by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Sugar Free Banana Almond Muffins by What Smells So Good?
- Strawberry Coconut Cinnamon Buns by Juanita’s Cocina
- Warm Apple Crumble by Mama’s Blissful Bites
- Dark Chocolate-Dipped Apricots by girlichef
- Homemade Protein Bar Recipe by Masala Herb
- Skinny Chocolate Almond Pudding by Basic N Delicious
Wine Pairing Recommendations for Skinny Sunday Supper by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.
Oh ops, so sorry it didn’t work out first, I hate when that happens. I panic in those moments because I am always late with everything. Looks like we have similar habits yum choco avocado cake, I wonder what it tastes like. It looks super amazing on the pictures!.
How about I just pretend it’s healthy and eat the whole cake? Yeah, probably not a good idea, but at least it has a little bit of healthy fat in there with the avocado 😉
Ahhh, that is so frustrating! – The full version however looks fantastic!!! And the photos are great 🙂 ~ Bea
Yay! I am so happy you made this. I am sorry about the first cake, that is not fun. Yet, I applaud you for still coming to the plate with a chocolate avocado cake. I mean, avocados ARE healthy 😉
It looks so rich and decadent
Oh, this totally cracked me up! This is exactly why I went with a salad…LOL. But your cake looks darn decadent. And hubby did an amazing job with the photography…can I borrow him????
HAHAHA Nancy, I love you. First of all, I’m so curious–was the recipe you tried Joy the Baker’s vegan avocado cake? I must know so I don’t try it as well! Eek. Your description was quite…descriptive! Bleh. But omg the photos…are so beautiful! I was about to be like GIRL. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING. WHAT CAMERA ARE YOU USING. Before you so helpfully put in that photo of your hubby taking a photo with that fancy dslr. But the photos are looking gorg! I love the one of the cake in the green towel or whatever under the disaster frosting. So intriguingly bumpy!
Also, now I really want to make this cake because it looks absolutely fabulous. Why all the butter why?!?!? (Although I am totally officially off my detox so…I could totally do this, just saying…:))
Moderation, moderation, moderation. A slice of this cake won’t kill me, right? (unless, the “slice” is a quarter of the cake….)
I wouldn’t mind if my face “accidentally” crash landed in that cake! I LOVE that you use ground almonds and avocado! Baking using healthful ingredients is tons of fun and I’ll have to give your avocado trick a whirl!
Really enjoyed reading your post! I’ve totally had this happen to me – good for you for plowing ahead with it. And the next time I want a decadent dessert, this is the one I want!!
Haha, but Fatty McHeartDisease looks so good! I’ve never thought to incorporate avocados into chocolate cake before.
This still looks pretty healthy to me, it’s gluten free! I know a lot of people bake with avocado, and after seeing your cake I think I need to give it a try.
I just introduced my daughter to avocado chocolate mousse and she loved it. Now I need to add this cake to my to make list.
Avocados are good for you, and I could live on them! Too bad your first cake didn’t turn out, but I am seriously drooling over this one right now!
I aint mad you girl! Some things are just meant to be delicous in all of it’s 700 calories per slice glory! I’m a huge beliver in that some ingredients are just not meant to swapped with another ingredient. Like butter and sugar! I made non butter frosting for Levi birthday a few years ago and let me just say that I am very sorry Levi will never know the pleasures of butter frosting. I just served the cupcake with no frosting because it would be sack religeous to put that atrocity of a frosting on a perfectly good cupcake!
One of my fave desserts to make and suprise people with is raw vegan chocolate mousse, i.e. avocado, tons of cocoa powder, agave, dash of vanilla – blend until suuuuuper creamy and smooth and chill. No one ever believes there’s avo in it, nor would they with your great cake!
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Your cake looks fantastic! Sad the first didn’t turn out; I hate when I head out on a limb and things don’t turn out the way I had hoped. But, your second turned out beautiful. And, now you have me very intrigued to try avocado’s with chocolate. YUM!
I’m a little late commenting, but these photos are gorgeous!!! that’s so cute that your husband helped you out a bit 😛 that’s so disappointing that the first avocado recipe didn’t work out, but at least this one worked out really well and it looked like it was incredibly delicious!!!
Chocolate avocado cake!! What a genius idea! I must must must try this. I’m sorry that the first attempt frustrated you. It happens, right?
ohh boy this sounds soo good — I need to try this one for sure :] yummm
I too wish I could make my baked treats healthier and lower calorie, but darn there’s nothing like butter, sugar and flour. In moderation how bad can it be. Anyway, yay for the husband for helping out with photo duties. Nice post!
Wow, that cake looks so rich and dense…as it should be with all that butter, lol! You crack me up! I can’t even tolerate food that rich anymore, it upsets my tummy. I absolutely make sweets all the time because I love them, I just have to be careful with oils etc…which is why I come up with so many other ways. I’ve definitely found plenty of ingredients that completely mimic butter and sugar…it shocks people when they eat my desserts!
I made a chocolate cake one time with avocado and I tasted the avocado instantly, guess I added too much or need to try it again. Your pics are beautiful, hubby did a great job!
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I made this cake and although a little complicated the first time making it, it came out just like the picture and oh soooooooo good. A huge hit with my in laws! Thanks!!!
Hey Chantal! I’m so glad to hear the cake turned out well and that everyone you served enjoyed it! Thanks so much for letting me know – it’s always thrilling for me when someone actually attempts one of the recipes I post (also nail biting because I’d feel terrible if it didn’t turn out). Happy Sunday to you!
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all the time i used to read smaller content which also clear their motive, and that is also happening with this paragraph which I am reading here.
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