Just because we're trying to live a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean we should have to miss out on all the yummy baked goods the world has to offer. I don't know about you, but I LOVE to bake.
I bake a few times a week. I must be lucky because none of us has suffered any real consequences, though now that I have turned 30, people keep assuring me that my metabolism is going to come to a complete halt and all those cupcakes & cookies I've been eating will come to haunt me.
So, I figured the smart thing to do would be to try to alter some of my recipes.
That way, we can enjoy our baked goods with limited amounts of guilt.
Today I altered a one-bowl vegan chocolate cake recipe that gets rave reviews. Using the vegan recipe over another was a no-brainer.
It already omits eggs so by leaving out the oil, it's cholesterol free.
The recipe:
Preheat oven to 350
lightly spray 8 inch round cake pan
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
In large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, salt & baking powder.
Sift whole wheat flour TWICE before adding to dry ingredients (cake will be really dense if you don't do this)
Lightly stir all dry ingredients & create well. Add warm water, vanilla, applesauce & vinegar.
Combine but be careful to not over-mix- you want a little air in the batter.
Bake for aprox. 25 mins. DO NOT OVERBAKE. You know your oven, if it's a hot one, watch it.
Let cool for a couple of hours, then dust with powdered sugar or glaze.
I glazed mine but you're not getting my glaze recipe, haha. It's a secret and one of my only claims to fame.
I will tell you this though- if you accidentally over-bake your cake (it's easy if you're baking with whole grains for the first time) then pouring a glaze over it & letting the cake soak it up is a great, easy fix and no one will be any wiser.