Healthy Avocado Cornmeal Cake

This healthy cake is a great snack for tea time or breakfast. Its is beautiful green colored cake with a lovely crunch from the cornmeal (use the finely ground variety if you don't want too much of a crunch). The avocado replaces the oil/butter in this cake making it low caloric and packed with nutrition. 

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1.5 cup  ripe mashed avocados
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Procedures

1. Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 200°C. Grease and flour two 9x5-inch loaf pans and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add avocado and beat for another 2 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed for 1 minute after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed. Beat in vanilla.
5. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Add the buttermilk and the remaining flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Remove bowl from the stand mixer, and finish incorporating the batter with a spatula.
6. Divide the batter between the pans and bake on alternating racks for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rotate racks and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
   
   
   
   
   
    

Go Bananas with these Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins

Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins

 

Ingredients:

• 3   whole very ripe  Bananas 
• 2   large Egg, beaten
• 1/4   cup Butter, melted/ one cup oil (for a healthier version)
• 1   cup Brown Sugar
• 1   cup Flour/ half n half Whole wheat & refined flour

• 1/4   tsp. Baking soda
• 1/4   tsp. Salt
• 6   oz. 70% cacao Chocolate baking bar
• 1/2   tsp. Vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line muffin tins with paper or foil cups. Mash bananas in a medium bowl, leaving some small chunks. Stir in egg, and melted butter. In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate baking bar in the microwave on high power for 45 seconds. Stir. If un-melted pieces remain continue microwaving and stirring the chocolate in ten-second intervals until it is all melted and smooth; set aside. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. The batter should be lumpy. Stir in melted chocolate,  and vanilla. Divide batter among the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle each with the additional 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips for the topping. Bake at 180 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Muffins are done when the tops of the muffins look dry and cracked.