Dessert is my favorite part of a fiesta.
Christmas counts as a fiesta, no?
I made this for Thanksgiving, but it would be fantastic for a Christmas dinner, too. Or New Years. Or just for breakfast.
When you read the ingredients in this cake, you’ll see that it actually wouldn’t be so bad to have at breakfast. It’s full of healthy fats and protein, and sugar-free! This brings me to the strange. The healthy fat in this one is avocado. It’s good, I swear.
Between the avocado, eggs, and yogurt, this is one of the lightest, moist cakes you’ll ever have. It’s the perfect end to a heavier dinner. You could eat half of it without blinking an eye. Not that I would know.
The almond, cinnamon, and cayenne are the Mexican part. If you’re concerned about the cayenne, you could leave it out. It’s not overwhelming; it simple gives the smallest hint of “hmmmm” at the end of a bite.
The icing on this cake was yet another healthy fat addition. I whipped coconut cream into a pillow-y spread for the cake. Don’t worry if it doesn’t seem stiff enough at first – it will firm up as it settles.
You can have fun with the flavors here. I added vanilla and cinnamon, but a liqueur like Frangelico or pie spice would be excellent as well.
I know several of you made these Chocolate Avocado Cookies or these (Vegan) Blood Orange Scones… vouch for me! You really can’t taste the avocado.
Mexican Chocolate Cake
- 1 small avocado
- 1 egg
- 2 egg whites
- 1 C xylitol (or other sugar substitute)
- 3/4 C Icelandic yogurt (or Greek)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- 1 C whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- Coconut Icing
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a bundt pan.
In a small blender, mix the avocado and eggs until smoother. Stir in xylitol, yogurt, and extracts until combined.
Whisk together dry ingredients. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet.
Once combined, add in milk and beat well.
Pour into bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 10-15 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack to completely cool.
Eat as-is, or ice the cake with whipped coconut cream frosting. I used this recipe for the coconut cream whip, only I subbed more xylitol for the sugar, and added vanilla and cinnamon.
Note: Like most cakes, the flavors improve after that cake has a day to rest. Do wait to frost it until the day of.
How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂
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My mom took home a couple of slices and called the next day (at breakfast) to tell me it had gotten even better! I think day 2 is the perfect storm for this one.
Avocado. Would you bake with it? Have you ever?
What is your favorite dessert for the holiday season?
Avocado makes a great healthy fat in a lot of dishes, plus it adds good texture. Is this one veganizable? Cake is so touchy 🙂
The yogurt would be easy (coconut or almond yogurt or vegan sour cream), but that’s a lot of egg to replace. Maybe with energ egg replacer? Let me know if you try it!
That icing…. Looks too inappropriate for my mind!!
Christmas most definitely counts as a fiesta. Any day that you want to eat strange but good mexican chocolate cake is a fiesta, really. Love the avo in there, I swear the stuff is literally butter.
Chocolate and cayenne [can we talk about a slight spice addiction?!] combined in a cake? I recently tried Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies so this cake’s right up my alley, too. And seeing as I baked vegan brownies with avocado before I can totally see how well this would work. Covered in coconut icing? I’m sold [aside from the eggs ;)].
That is my go-to spice combo – add ginger and cinnamon and I’m in heaven.
I promised myself that in the upcoming weeks to try the avocado and chocolate combination…I think you’ve won me over. I would never have guessed an avocado was hidden in that masterpiece…
Also thanks for the note from Mama #Strangebutgood- first time I’ve heard of a cake tasting better the longer it sits. Cake the new curry? 😛
oh my gosh you haven’t yet? GET on iT! hehe
Yes. What she said. 😉
Also, cake usually tastes better after a day or so. Mom used to make carrot cakes 1-2 days in advance so it could all settle together.
Nothing strange about that! Yum – might have to make this today or over the weekend.
Let me know if you try it! I need to make another… I’m thinking as a muffin…
I love to bake with avocado! I made chocolate muffins and pancakes with it and it’s perfect.
So this cake seems completely normal to me droolworthy!! The coconut frosting is a must.
Oh! I haven’t done pancakes yet. Must try that one asap!
I’ve always wanted to try baking with Avocados. I must do that soon!
Let me know when you do! It’s such a great, healthy add!
I love me some avocado, but I’ve never baked with it… of course I would try it!
coconut icing? damn girl… gimme. love the creamy avocado addition
It would be easy to make GF! Come on and I’ll whip one up for y.
This looks so freaking awesome – I expect you to make me a fresh one and throw it out the window as I drive by between family Christmas celebrations on Saturday night. 🙂
Did you catch it?!
OMG – the coconut icing! Love
I’ve never tried avocado in sweet things – cakes or puddings or whathaveyou. I really need to get on that sometime!
Love love love Mexican chocolate! I’ve been meaning to post mexican hot chocolate pancakes I’ve made. Hopefully I’ll have time to post them over the break!
Ohhhh… those sound amazing!
love using avocado in baked goods, reminds us we need to do it again haha
I always think of you two when I use avocados. 🙂
This looks so decadent. I love everything about this cake.
I LOVE desserts made with avocado! Can’t wait to try this 🙂
Today I’m sharing some interesting skinny cocktails, but if you want to see something REALLY STRANGE, check out the doggie birthday party I posted about on Monday, haha.
I think Christmas counts as a fiesta. We’ve actually made Mexican for Christmas lunch before. I mean, why not?!
I think that sounds perfect! It sounds like something my family would do – we all LOVE Mexican.
Mmmmm I love Mexican Chocolate, and that cake looks to die for. I wanted to post a #strangebutgood this week but unfortunately didn’t have anything that I felt was sufficient. Still a few good eats up, though! Hopefully next week I’ll have something 😀
Ps your Atlanta posts make me soooo homesick every time.
I’d love it if you joined up! I took a break this week, but next week it’s ON! 🙂
Let me know if you ever make it back this way!
I could eat that for breakfast for sure though! With extra cayenne.
Icelandic yogurt has me intrigued… I wonder how it differs from Greek? Off to google I go!
I always add extra cayenne for myself too. 😉
Icelandic is similar, but actually has a higher protein content!
Frangelico is the shiznit! (do people still say that..?) That cakes look pretty amazing too – I still haven’t used avocado in baking – usually because I can’t resist eating them first…
Wait til they go on sale and buy a TON of them. 😉
Shut the front freaking door. Best #strangebutgood ever.
Thank you! Best #strangebutgood comment ever. 😉
I have never cooked with avocado, but have seen SO MANY recipes that I should give it a shot! My favorite sweet treat during the holidays are “chocolate peanut butter balls” and a family friend’s “cream cheese coffee cake”! AMAZINGBALLS! 😉
Those balls sound sooooo good! (That’s what she said.) 😉
I am all over this cake. Love the flavors. Haven’t tried the whipped cream, though. I have used avocado in so many chocolate cakes that I have made and no one has ever noticed nor bat an eye. I even went as far as using it in chocolate frosting and even my husband (the man who can spot anything ‘healthy’ or ‘non butter’) could not detect it! Win. 🙂
I love the frosting idea!!! Do you have a recipe for it?
That looks so amazing!!!!!!!! You come up with the craziest stuff!!!!
I tired to tweet but something is wrong right now.. 🙁 Will try in a bit…
Dizamn, that sounds friggin fabulous!! I love mexican chocolate anything.
I have made a killer chocolate pudding with avocados, so why not? Looks delicious and I love the spice.
That’s the first avocado-dessert thing I tried a few years ago. Still one of my favorites!
This looks awesome! Definitely a great dessert to make for Christmas dinner. Are there any substitutions for the avocado?
Thanks! The avocado is really just a healthy fat sub. You could use butter. 😉
I loved your blood orange scones… and this cake is calling me name, too. Looks so good!
Thanks Laura! Let me know if you try this one. 🙂
I love every single thing about this cake! Baking with avocado is the best! I made this cake http://joythebaker.com/2009/07/vegan-chocolate-avocado-cake/ once and took it to a work party and no one would have even noticed had I not topped it with the avocado buttercream (but I ran out and actually used coconut cream “icing” too…love that stuff!) Yeah, I could totally see this turning into breakfast muffins! 😀
Favorite dessert: BUCKEYES!!!!!
I feel like me need to do a side-by-side comparison… 😉
I love the addition of the cayenne pepper. I think it’s be fabulous with the chocolate. Nicely done!