Chocolate Cakes Without Flour or Sugar

Photo & recipe: Notycheese

Call me a skeptic. But, when you crave a slice of cake, I think you'll only satisfy your craving by eating the decadent cake. Why? The texture resulting from the flour, sugar, chocolate, and butter is why we like the dessert. Without the right texture, we have something else we are calling cake.:)

That said, all the flourless, sugarless, and butter or oil-less cakes floating around the internet are intriguing, and I'm willing to try the easy ones.

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An advantage is they often require less work with fewer ingredients than baking a 2-layer cake. Also, the amount of dessert made is usually less, so I can see using the tastier recipes as a quick snack when we lack the time or people to help us eat a whole cake. I don't see any benefit to foregoing gluten without a gluten sensitivity, but maybe it's a practical way of using the apples or bananas in our refrigerators.

Today I'll select 2 recipes for Chocolate Cake, one made with apples and the other with bananas to replace the flour, sugar, and oil or butter in the batter of traditional cakes:

Flourless Chocolate Cake Using Apples (top image👆)

Ingredients: (Half the ingredients to make less cake.)

4 medium apples, peeled and chopped into chunks
4 large eggs
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder

Butter or cooking oil spray to grease the baking pan

Directions: 

1) Blend the apples and eggs in a blender until smooth.

2) Add the coca powder and baking powder.

3) Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.

4) Bake for 45 minutes or until done in the middle. Cool before slicing and eating.

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Flourless Chocolate Cake Using Bananas (bottom image👇)

Photo & recipe: yummyy

Ingredients for the Cake 

2 ripe bananas, sliced

2 eggs

8 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

Cooking oil spray for the dish.

Directions for the Cake:

1) Toss the bananas and eggs into a blender and mix until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder and baking soda.

2) Pour into a nonstick or cooking oil-sprayed microwave-safe dish. Smooth the top with a spatula.

3) Bake in the microwave for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Ingredients for a Topping: 

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

3 - 4 tablespoons of milk

Directions:

Melt the chocolate and milk in the microwave, incorporate, and pour over the cake.

A similar recipe on my Facebook feed using oatmeal:

Feel free to try this Grand Culinary Experiment along with me. I'm also skeptical that eating flourless, sugarless, butterless cakes will help us lose weight. Still, these "cakes" could be worthy chocolate desserts in and of themselves!

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White Poke Cake Made Two Ways

Photo: Tasteful Recipes from Facebook

I haven't made a White Poke Cake -- once upon a time called an Angel Food Cake -- in years but this one is perfectly festive as a Christmas dessert, plus with an alternate custard topping it's suitable for the rest of the year. Perhaps I like the poke cake because I love custard pudding!

The recipe for the Christmas version, which is circulating on Facebook, uses cake mix, however, I never, ever buy cake mix. In my home, the rule is if you eat cake, either buy a good bakery cake or make one yourself. Every cake that enters your piehole must be worth its calories!!

For sure making a cake from scratch is as easy as opening a box of cake mix:

Ingredients for the White Cake Batter

½ cup butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites, room temperature
½ cup milk, room temperature
1½ cups all-purple flour (I never buy cake flour, but you can.)
2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1) With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.

2) Add the egg whites.

3) Pour in the milk and continue mixing.

4) Follow with the all-purple flour and baking soda.

5) Next pour in the vanilla and almond extract.

6) Bake in a prepared buttered 9-inch square baking pan in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the center is firm.

7) Remove the white cake from the oven. Let cool and remove from the pan while still warm. Next, sit aside to cool completely.

You could make a topping for this White Poke Cake any number of ways, but I'll give you two options. The first cranberry topping is festive for Christmas:

I. Cranberry Poke Cake Topping🎄🎁🔔

ingredients:

14 oz of cranberry sauce - either homemade or canned

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar if it isn't already sweet (taste it and judge.)

Directions:

Simmer the ingredients in a stockpot on the stovetop until smooth and uniform in consistency. You'll pour the cranberry topping over your white poke cake (see #4 below).

The 2nd topping is for the rest of the year:

II. Vanilla-Almond Custard Poke Cake Topping🥛🥚🥛

Ingredients:

4 cups of milk

Photo: iStock

4 egg yolks

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1) Toss the milk, eggs, sugar, and flour into a stockpot on the stovetop and whisk together. [FYI: I get a smoother custard by blending these ingredients cold.] Stir occasionally while the mixture is heating up.

2) Bring to a boil and on medium heat continue whisking while simmering until the mixture thickens into a custard.

3) Near the end, add the vanilla and almond extracts and stir. Turn off the heat.

4) With a fork poke holes in the top of the cake. Pour your topping of choice on top of the cake. [I've never combined the cranberry and pudding toppings, but if I did I'd use straight cranberry sauce without thinning it with water on top of the custard which I'd pour into the holes of the cake first.🐪🐑]  

At Christmastime, you can use your 4 leftover egg yolks to make my pecan cookies, which I linked, or save them for a breakfast omelet. Waste not, want not.

5) Finish the cake with a dab of real whipped topping if you wish. The sweet creamy goodness only improves the cake.

Bon appètite!

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Two Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Photo: Etsy

A few days ago I had one can of sweet potatoes I didn't know what to do with because ... well we don't eat canned sweet potatoes. So I used it to make two 4" mini sweet potato pies for Thanksgiving. The small pies are enough for 4 servings. The trouble is on Sunday night my mother and I took one of the pies out of the refrigerator and ate it! Why? Because they were made too far in advance of Thanksgiving.:) The pie was delicious and not too sweet, so I'm posting my recipe below.

Full-sized pie with fresh microwaved sweet potato

To make a full-sized pie, simply double all the ingredients, beginning with the crust. For example, use 28 oz - 29 oz (2 cans or 2 full cups fresh, cooked, and mashed) sweet potatoes: 

So let's begin with the crust ... 

No Fail Flaky Vinegar Pie Crust (Double this recipe for a 9-inch pie.)

Ingredient:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of cold butter, sliced and diced quickly to keep it cold

A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cider vinegar (the flaky crust’s secret ingredient. Vinegar slightly retards gluten to keep the crust from toughening.)
3 tablespoons ice-cold water

Directions:

1) Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and form into a ball. (Since I made 2 small pies, I divided my dough into 2 small balls.) Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or more.

2) With a rolling pin, roll the dough flat on a floured surface and fit it onto your buttered pie pan(s). 

3) Using a fork, poke holes all over the dough to release air during baking so it doesn't bubble.

Source: Taste of Home

Sweet Potato Pie Filling (Remember to double the filling for a 9" pie)

1 14-ounce can of sweet potatoes (or about 1 1/2  cups of cooked, softened, and mashed fresh sweet potato)

1 egg

1/4 tablespoon dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon of cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

A light sprinkle of Allspice

A pinch of salt

Optional: 1 tablespoon of butter (for additional creaminess and flavor. I left it out to save calories. You decide for yourself.:)

Directions:

1) Using an electric mixer combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl for about 2 minutes or until smooth. I didn't miss the butter but you can put it in for extra creaminess and flavor.

2) Pour into your waiting prepared pie dough-lined pan(s).

3) Bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven for 50 - 60 minutes. (Mini pies take about as much baking time as full-sized pies.)

Photo: LSU AgCenter

Some recipes call for more sugar and butter in the filling, but my first homemade mini 4" sweet potato pies turned out so delicious, I'll lighten up my recipe again! We had no trouble eating the lesser caloric pies. Now what will we do if we have to share our 2nd mini pie with an unexpected guest who drops by? I suppose we'll offer it to our guest? Baking in advance of a holiday doesn't always pay off.😛

🍁Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

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Christmas Fruitcake

November is the perfect time to prepare for Christmas.🎄 This week, I've ordered nuts and dark chocolate chips to have on hand to bake cookies. Buying a few items at a time is the way to do it. Planning and making lists equal calm.

The following recipe is a David Parke share. David Parke is a Facebook friend of mine from the United Kingdom, who retired after years of serving on Queen Elizabeth II's staff. I have no idea what position he held and haven't had the pleasure of meeting him in person, but he uploads very tempting recipes. My classmate, a romance author, makes the best fruitcake ever found here, but it requires lots of Kentucky bourbon and weeks of time. My in-person friend has so many requests for her fruitcakes, she began selling them.

If you don't order or make hers, try this one uploaded on Facebook by David Park:

Christmas Fruitcake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruits (raisins, cherries, apricots, and cranberries)

1/2 cup candied orange peel

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup dark rum (or orange juice for a non-alcoholic version)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Optional Glaze:

1/4 cup apricot or peach jam, warmed

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1-2 tsp milk (adjust as needed for consistency)

David's directions as quoted verbatim ...

"Instructions:

1. Prepare the Fruit Mixture --

In a bowl, combine the mixed dried fruits, candied orange peel, and nuts. Pour the rum (or orange juice) over the mixture, cover, and let it soak for at least 2 hours or overnight for the best flavor.

2. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan --

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and line a 9-inch loaf pan or round cake pan with parchment paper.

3. Mix the Dry Ingredients --

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. Make the Batter --

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Stir until just combined.
• Fold in the soaked fruit and nuts and any remaining liquid.

5. Bake the Cake --

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Optional Glaze:

For a festive glaze, mix the powdered sugar with milk until smooth. Brush the warm jam over the cake, then drizzle with the powdered sugar glaze.

Details:

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus soaking time)

Bake Time: 60-75 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours (including soaking)

Servings: 8-10 slices

Tips:

a) Storage: Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then foil, and store in an airtight container. This cake tastes even better after a few days!

b) Flavor Boost: Brush the cake with additional rum or fruit juice every few days for extra moisture and depth of flavor.

This Christmas Fruitcake Delight will bring a taste of the holiday spirit to your table. Each slice is packed with festive flavors and warm holiday memories—perfect for a cozy winter celebration!"

I aim to make this fruitcake (for Thanksgiving?). It looks sensational! Hmm, I must grab some dried fruit while shopping for my weekly groceries. Nowadays for Christmas, I prefer confections that aren't super sweet yet have other flavors and textures creating a party in your mouth! Like European cakes and pastries, call them adult sophisticated sweets if you will!

Thanks, David Park, for the share!

Update, December 1: I substituted Marker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon for dark rum because my rum wasn't dark rum. I used pitted frozen cherries instead of dried cherries (much cheaper!), a tablespoon of grated orange rind with a squeeze of orange juice instead of candied orange rinds. To make up for the skipped 1/2 cup of candied rinds, I added 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries and 1/4 cup of dried pineapple, which I cut into small pieces. Walmarts and pecans went in (about 1 1/4 cups together). I also soaked the nuts and fruit for hours in the bourbon before making the cake. Tweaking the recipe works as long as you keep the ratio of the dry-to-liquid ingredients. I added 5 more tablespoons of all-purpose flour since my cherries and blueberries were wet, not dried.

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Protein Cookies For Breakfast

Today I'll share two recipes, one for a senior and another for everyone else. First up: For breakfast some mornings I make a hot bowl of cereal for my senior mother. In her cereal, she gets 1/4 cup of 1-minute oatmeal, an overflowing tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter, about 1/4 cup of milk, and sometimes 1/2 banana. Microwave it for 2 minutes and after it cools but is still warm, I dice a Pure Protein Chocolate Chip bar and mix it in. She gets protein vitamins, and fiber but is none the wiser that she's eating a healthy breakfast as it tastes and smells like a cookie! According to her, she doesn't eat breakfast.🙂

Here's how you can turn it into a real protein cookie to eat for breakfast, or anytime you need a cookie. If you're not a senior who's a picky eater, you don't need the Pure Protein bar 😉 --

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies (a complete protein)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups oatmeal flakes

1 cup of crunchy peanut butter

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla

a pinch of salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

a sprinkle of nutmeg

1/4 cup honey

2/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Options: (1) 1/4 cup of raisins - I add raisins to keep the cookies moist longer. You could puree them before adding. (2) Although we're not dried fruit in cookie fans, you could use other dried fruit if you like. (3) If you wish to chop 1/2 cup of nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds, feel free to toss them into the batter. (4) A couple teaspoons of flax seeds is another healthy choice.

Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, mix all your ingredients, one by one, together.

(2) Refrigerate the batter for 1/2 hour or more.

3) Drop a tablespoon size of batter onto a buttered foil-lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Flatten the top if you wish.

4) Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 - 14 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown.

5) Remove and let cool before serving.

Protein cookies are for people who don't eat breakfast.🙂

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Joy Bauer's Healthy Brownies and Rice Crispy Treats

Joy Bauer is a nutritionist who formally worked with New York City Ballet dancers and then became a TV personality. Two of her many keeper recipes are lighter, healthy versions of Brownie Bits and Rice Crispy Treats. Normally I pass on both sweets since usually they are made with a ton of butter and sugar. But Joy replaces these high and empty calories with healthy ingredients. In her recipes, she substitutes ingredients to boost the amounts of protein, vitamins, or fiber. Here are 2 of her sweet treats:

Brownie Bits - Go here for the recipe on Joy's website.

Ingredients:

¾ cup whole wheat flour, or all-purpose
½ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon instant coffee powder, optional
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup maple syrup
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally mist your mini-muffin tin(s) with nonstick oil spray and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, salt and baking powder, and whisk until well combined.

2) Add the eggs, maple syrup and applesauce to the dry ingredients. Stir to form a creamy batter, being thoughtful to not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.

3) Fill each muffin compartment with batter; you’ll have enough for approximately 35. Be sure to mix the batter as you go to distribute the chocolate chips—otherwise, the chips may settle at the bottom and the last bunch will have a ton.

4) Garnish with a sprinkling of preferred toppings; you can mix and match various combos such as strawberries and coconut, granola, and seeds.

5) Bake in the oven on the middle rack for about 14 minutes, until the tops are firmed

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Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats - Go here for the recipe on Joy's website.

Ingredients:

¾ cup peanut butter
 ⅓ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups crispy rice cereal

Directions:

Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

1) In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the peanut butter. Microwave for about 50 seconds to soften it, making it easier to mix.

2) Add the honey and vanilla extract to the softened peanut butter, and mix until well blended. Add the crispy rice cereal to the bowl. Gently stir to combine, being careful not to crush the cereal.

3) Transfer the mixture into the parchment-lined pan. Use a spatula or your hands to flatten it out evenly among the bottom perimeter.

4) Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or freeze) to firm up. Remove
from the fridge, slice into 16 pieces (4 rows across and 4 rows down), and enjoy!

I want to make it clear again that these are nutritionist Joy Bauer's recipes, not mine. I'm posting them here for our convenience, as well as, linking them to their original source. 

Joy seems like an amazing cook and baker. I wish I could be her taster-tester and next-door neighbor, so she'd invite me to her house for delicious and healthy eating!

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High Protein Granola Bars -- To Bake Or Not To Bake

Granola bar images istock

Since my senior mom has become a picky eater I spend more money on protein drinks and bars than I do on meat. One of my rules is she must eat real food -- unprocessed meat, carbohydrates, and either fruit or vegetables for dinner. At times, it's a struggle. So I buy 30-gram protein drinks and strive for 20-gram protein bars that are low in sugar. They are more costly than real food and not as tasty, but what am I to do?

I found 2 recipes for High Protein Granola Bars. Both are 20 grams of protein per bar, count as real food, and are easy to make. Since the recipes are on multiple websites without credit, I have no idea who created them. 

Nearly the same, the 1st recipe requires 5 ingredients and no baking. Add eggs and bake recipe #2:

I. No Bake 5 Ingredient High Protein Granola Bars

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup vanilla protein powder

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1) In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients, oats, and protein powder.

2) In a 2nd mixing bowl, microwave the peanut butter and honey for a few seconds to soften them.

3) Combine the wet with the dry ingredients. You can add a few spoons of water to the mixture if it's too dry.

4) Press the mixture into an 8" by 8" pan lined with parchment paper.

5) Evenly distribute the chocolate chips and press them into the batter.

6) Refrigerate until the bars are firm before cutting with a knife dipped in water (to avoid sticking) into 16 bars.

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II. Baked 6 Ingredient High Protein Granola Bars

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup vanilla protein powder

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

2 eggs

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1) Mix the dry ingredients, oats and protein powder.

2) Mix in the eggs.

3) Microwave the peanut butter and honey for a few seconds to soften them and combine them into the mixture.

4) Pour into an 8" by 8" pan sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper.

5) Distribute and press the chocolate chips into the dough.

6) Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 10 - 15 minutes. Check and remove when the outside edges start to turn slightly brown.

7) Cool, and cut while still warm into 16 bars.

To bake or not to bake, that is the question. My answer: First try the unbaked granola bars and if you like them go no further. If curious, make the baked granola bar recipe and decide which texture you prefer. Also if you want add-ins like whole almonds, or sunflower seeds, or white chocolate chips, or coconut flakes, or raisins it's up to you. Feel free to dip your baked granola bars into melted dark chocolate with baker's wax if you desire. 

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