I’ve had my eye on this recipe for as long as I can remember, maybe even before I started this blog. Avocado cake? It sounded so intriguing. The result is not, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t super moist and tasty. Avocado really mostly serves as a substitute for butter, so it’s great if you’re on a low-fat or good fat diet. I haven’t tried the recipe with absolutely no butter in it yet, but given the outcome of the one below, I’m pretty sure it would work well.
Since I’ve become an avocado maniac in the past few weeks, I thought now was the ideal time to indulge. I decided to add the icing on the side, because it is very sweet, and I like it better when dessert aren’t too sweet. In fact, if they could come up with savory desserts, I would be all for it. You now understand why this cake first struck my fancy.
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Avocado poppy seed cake
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 2 avocados, pureed
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 4 eggs
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup flour
- 5 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1/3 cup almond meal
- 2 tsp baking powder
For the icing:
- 1/2 avocado (or 1 small avocado)
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (or to taste –this amount makes a very sweet icing)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 340°F. Add a disk of parchment paper to the bottom of a springform pan. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the avocado and lemon juice. Stir until well combined. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Stir in the yolks one by one. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Set aside.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds, and almond meal to the batter. Stir well. Fold in the egg whites gently. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, making sure the top doesn’t burn. If it gets too dark, just cover with foil and return to oven. Let sit a few minutes before removing from pan, and then a few moreminutes before serving.
3. To make the icing: Add the avocado to a food processor or a blender, and process until creamy. Add the lemon juice, stir, and stir in the confectioners’ sugar, until smooth.
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My tips:
- If you’d prefer a layer cake, just cut the cake in half lengthwise, and fill it with the icing.
- If you want to explore the savory/sweet border even more, reduce the amount of confectioners’ sugar in the icing to let the taste of avocado stand out more.
Source: slightly adapted from Je veux être bonne.
