Avocado Cake
The first time I tried avocado in a dessert, it was in a milkshake at an eclectic restaurant. I loved avocados; I loved sugar. Why not? Then my cousin pointed out, “Ew! You’re going to drink pure fat!” By the time the shake came, I could only muster a sip. My mom, ever the good sport, finished it for me.
Ten or so years later, I encountered an avocado Popsicle at the New Orleans farmers market. By now I knew that avocados were common in Southeast Asian and Latin American desserts and wasn’t grossed out. This Popsicle was like ice cream on a stick; it was refreshing on that blistering day.
When my aunt recently visited me, she brought along gifts: Harbor Sweets chocolate, Trader Joe’s freeze-dried mangosteens, lettuce and avocados. (She was just being practical with the veggies.) That avocado was getting softer by the day, and like all surplus food, I had to turn it into dessert. I almost went with avocado pancakes, but they’re savory. So I went with this tender cake from Accidental Hedonist. As Kate says, “Done correctly, it’s a cake that can sit with pride next to your zucchini bread or pumpkin cake.” It doesn’t taste gross, but it’s faintly vegetal in a good way, like carrot cake.
It’s so good that I might substitute puréed avocado for butter in other recipes. It’s kind of healthy too: avocado’s high in omega 3s, vitamin E and fiber. If you’re worried that people will be put off by the green color, just tell them you made a pistachio cake, which sounds far fancier. Trust me, it’s worth saving your avocados for.
Recipe is at Accidental Hedonist
You can skip the walnuts and dried fruit if you wish. To make 20 cupcakes, bake for about 20 min. in a 350° F oven.
Related links:
More Vegetables in Dessert: Heirloom Tomato Cake, Chocolate-Potato Cake, Bean Brownies, Classic Carrot Cake and Potato-Chip Cookies
Gourmet’s Test Kitchen Challenge: Avocado Marshmallows v. Avocado Crème Brûlée
More on my Trip to New Orleans and the Relief Work That We Did
LinLaLiLa said,
I just drooled reading this! Who new avocado could have so many faces? Mm, I want to make this right now. Can’t wait to tell my health-freak boyfriend it’s a cupcake that’s good for you (sort of). Heheh Great post! 🙂
May 22, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Junko said,
What a cool recipe! I’ve made avocado chocolate cupcakes before
http://happylittlecupcakes.blogspot.com/search/label/avocado%20cupcakes
and they were sooooo delicious! i can’t wait to try these! thanks!
June 3, 2009 at 12:58 am
Shania said,
Yeah, I agree. Avocado tastes so good. For me, it is the kind of fruit that tastes really great when combined with milk and ice. But thank you for sharing your post. Now I know there are still a lot of recipe that I can make using avocado. 🙂
June 4, 2009 at 11:11 pm
iamjuan said,
I’m Filipino, and my mom made avocado milkshakes as a special treat when we were kids. They were sweet, creamy, and delicious. Maybe folks are put off by the thought of a green milkshake, but definitely give it another try if you have a chance.
September 18, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Jazmine said,
This sounds like it would be PERFECT for <font color=”#008000″> Saint Patrick’s Day</font>. With the green and everything. You can have avocado pancakes for breakfast and later avocado cupcakes for dessert. I’m too tired to cook on the weekends but that seems like a fun thing to try. I love anything healthy but I wish I could buy it already made by someone else.
January 30, 2010 at 8:58 am