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This delicious cake has heart-healthy avocado replacing most of the butter. It's moist and delicious- try it!
.................. I shared in a post a while back that we've partnered with The California Avocado Commission in some food styling, photography and recipe development projects.
Up until now, our work has had to be "top secret", but finally, we're excited to be able to share a bit of what we've been up to. You see, they've just released their April newsletter (sign up for it here) and our cake is one of the featured recipes!!! You can also see it on their beautiful website.
There's a lot more to come, but we're thrilled today, to be able to share this wonderful cake that has much of the traditional butter (with tons of saturated fat) replaced with healthy avocado!
I know, I know, you're wondering what a cake with avocado would taste like? Think delicious with a slight, just a slight, essence of banana! Is it green? Nope, check out the photo below - looks like your everyday yellow cake, right? And that's what it tastes like, it's just a whole lot better for you.
And see that pretty icing? The creamy smooth avocado makes it pipe and swirl like a dream. I had fun with Key lime juice and zest to add vibrant flavor along with a Wilton 199 (an open star) decorating tip, but you could just as well use a knife or any piping technique that you fancy.
It will turn out just as pretty as a picture and delightfully delicious!
Disclaimer:
We are compensated by The California Avocado Commission for our recipe development and photography, but the opinions are very much our own.
- 2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour sifted before measuring
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 ripe Fresh California Avocado*, seeded, peeled, and pureed in a food processor or blender until smooth
- 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
- Key Lime Buttercream Frosting recipe follows
- ½ cup raspberry jam for filling
- ½ of a ripe Fresh California Avocado*, seeded and peeled
- 3 tablespoons room temperature butter
- 2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon Key lime or regular lime zest
- 2 tablespoons Key lime or regular lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk or more as needed to thin
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Directions:
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Preheat oven to 325˚ F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray. Line bottom of each pan with a round piece of parchment paper, and then spray the parchment with baking spray. Set aside.
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Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the pureed avocado and the butter with the sugar until completely combined. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
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With the mixer on low speed, beat in all of the buttermilk until just combined.
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Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing each addition until just combined. Once all flour is incorporated, increase mixing speed to medium and beat for 20 seconds longer. Be careful to not over mix.
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Divide batter among the two prepared cake pans. Bake until golden on top and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean - about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 10 minutes before inverting, removing parchment paper, and cooling completely.
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While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the pureed avocado with the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
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With mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar.
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10. Once all the sugar is incorporated, add the lime juice and the vanilla. Add milk, as needed until frosting is light and fluffy. Increase mixing speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. If frosting is too thin, add a bit more confectioner’s sugar, if too thick adjust by adding a bit more milk.
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11. Place one of the cakes on a plate or platter. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the surface. Place remaining cake on top. Spread or pipe top and sides of cake with buttercream.
Recipe by The Café Sucre Farine
Recipe Provided By the California Avocado Commission
Kitchen Riffs says
Fun cake, great pictures! Love the idea of this - thank you.
Jen Laceda | Tartine and Apron Strings says
O!M!G! Avocado cake! Of course, why not?! Can't wait to try this cake!!! I am so excited! But maybe I'll try it without the frosting first...hehehe...Hope you're having a good weekend!
Sandra Lee says
Ive baked with avocado before and I was pleasantly surprised. However, what I made is light years away from this gorgeous creation of yours. Gold star for you!!!!
Patty Price says
Amazing job on this cake Chris!!! Avocado in cake-hey...why not? I love avocados smashed on toast, I guess I need to expand my horizons a bit.. Always great seeing your creations and it looks like this one- while time consuming was a lot of fun to make!
Gloria Baker says
Chris This look absolutely wonderful and delicious and beautiful:)))
Times ago I made an avocado Ice cream and was delicious but not all people believe me LOL but I know taste delicious, beautiful!xo
Carol | a cup of mascarpone says
Chris, I am totally speechless! This cake is A M A Z I N G !!! Gorgeous! OMG!!!
www.you-made-that.com says
I am seeing more and more avocados used in desserts and it's intriguing to me. I adore avocados and but I have never tried it in sweet dishes, that needs to change. Your cake is gorgeous and I love how you coordinated your color scheme and frosting to give a small hint to what's inside. Great recipe!
Erin Dee says
Oh my goodness. This is beautiful! The piping job is just amazing. And such pretty colors! I love using avocados in baked goods so I am all over this cake. Love the flavors, too. 🙂
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Chris, this cake takes my breath away! It looks and sounds like an absolutely fabulus cake to serve for a special occasion or "just because". Like some of my previous commentators, I have also prepared some wonderful avocado desserts, I love the creaminess and richness that avocados bring to a dessert like avocado gelato, for example, and the newest craze around here is to pair raspberries with avocados - say in an avocado gelato with a raspberry coulis - but your cake is a whole other matter, it is just awesome to look at. While I do not have the talent for decorating cakes like this, I would love to bake this as a "simple" layer cake and serve it to my friends and have them enjoy it along with the family.
I also want to congratulate you on your fabulous partnership, I looked at the wonderful website and it is so full of important information, I will visit there many times soon. Looking forward to your upcoming posts.
Have a terrific weekend!
Jemma says
You always, always, have the most beautiful creations and they always, always are the highest quality of taste and perfection!!
Hugs!
jemma
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
Chris your cake is absolutely stunning! I've only ever cooked with avocado once and it was rather nice. I love how smooth it made the icing look. What a beautiful technique!
Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon says
You are really raising the bar. This is just gorgeous. I see good things in your future.
Liz Berg says
Congratulations, Chris!!! This is truly one of the most gorgeous cakes I've ever seen. I'm totally in awe of your talent!!!
Georgia | The Comfort of Cooking says
Wow, what a gorgeous cake and an inventive flavor! It's absolutely stunning! Belongs in a professional bake shop, for sure. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Mary Hirsch says
Chris, As I said on Facebook, this is an amazing cake in every way. You're on the right path nutritionally with avocados. I want you to know that I'm having some gals for dinner tonight, my first entertaining since moving back to Aspen a week ago. Since there are some vegetarians in the group, I needed a salad that would be a meal as well as would go along with the Braised Chicken with Artichokes and Olives that I am serving. Sooooo I made your March 28 Black Bean and Quinoa Salad - it is delicious. Why did I bother with the chicken?
Manju says
That's one stunner of a cake and I love the use of avocado in it...awesome job!!
Luv,
Manju
http://manjuseatingdelights.blogspot.com/
Wendy says
Wow, Chris! My reaction to your post had three phases. Phase 1: jaw dropping at the sight of your truly amazing and beautiful cake! Phase 2: reading the title,realizing there was avocado in this cake and frosting, then wrinkling my nose. Phase 3: reading your post and becoming really intrigued by the idea of avocado in baking (nose unwrinkles). I want to try the cake in a simpler form but am curious to know whether baked avocado or avocado in frosting turns color like oxidizing fresh avocado does?
The Café Sucré Farine says
Hi Wendy, I love your reactions because I would have been the same way! I've done quite a bit of baking with avocados now and it is really quite amazing. There does not seem to be a problem with discoloration in the cake because it's baked and the frosting was fine for days ......... perhaps due to the lime juice???
Martha says
That is one amazing looking cake! and I love that it has avocados instead of butter!! Wow, can't wait to try it sometime!
Sue/the view from great island says
I'm absolutely speechless! This is the most awe inspiring cake I've ever seen, Chris!
Pam says
I would never think to make an avocado cake. This is absolutely stunning to look at and I am sure delicious to eat.
The Café Sucré Farine says
This is SO interesting Denise. We think we're so smart coming up with these new avocado recipes and in Brazil they've probably been doing this for a zillion years 🙂 Oh well, I guess it's true, there's "nothing new under the sun"!
Thanks for sharing and for your kind words!
Vicki V @ blestnest.blogspot.com says
That is an absolutely gorgeous cake!!!!
The Mom Chef says
Wow....I'd have never guessed or even thought of something like this, but it looks phenomenal. I love avocados anyhow so I see nothing wrong with adding it to cake. The decorating is gorgeous too. You have way more patience than I ever could.
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
All I can say is "WOW" what a cake! I think that is one of the most beautiful cakes I have seen in a very long time. Over the top, Chris! I would never have thought that avocado would work in a frosting.
Anna {Hidden Ponies} says
SO creative, and what beautiful decorating! I made avocado chocolate chip cookies and the green colour turned people off, so I'm happy this doesn't have that same tinge - I'll have to give it a try!