Chocolate Sweet-Potato Snack Cake

Chocolate Sweet-Potato Snack Cake

Here's a variation on the Chocolate Pumpkin Snack Cake in my book, Wildly Affordable Organic. This year-round version uses sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin. It's also cholesterol and dairy free because it uses ground flaxseed instead of eggs and coconut oil instead of butter. The result is light and tender, with a good cocoa flavor and just a faint hint of spiciness from the sweet potato.

Active time: 15 minutes. Total time: about an hour. Makes 8 servings.

2 tablespoons finely ground flaxseed 6 tablespoons water 1 cup white whole wheat flour (120 grams) 1/3 cup cocoa (30 grams) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature shortening for pan or eight paper cupcake liners 1 cup sugar (200 grams) 2/3 cup mashed North Carolina sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree, or canned plain pumpkin (140 grams)

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Sweet Heart, Strong Heart Chocolate Cake

It's hard to believe that this tender, rich chocolate cake has no cholesterol. That's right: using flax eggs, apple sauce, and coconut spread makes it good for your sweetheart's heart. It's an easy introduction to plant-strong baking, too. Frost with Sweet Heart, Strong Heart Chocolate Frosting.

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Sweet Heart, Strong Heart Chocolate Frosting

Make this rich, chocolate frosting for your sweet heart on Valentine's Day or any time you feel romantic. You'll keep your love's ticker ticking through a creamy chocolate rush. This dairy-free frosting has no cholesterol. It uses Earth Balance Coconut Dream Coconut Drink in place of milk and Earth Balance Coconut Spread in place of butter. Adding a little more more cocoa than my original recipe keeps the rich chocolate flavor. Spread it on my Sweet Heart, Strong Heart Chocolate Cake (to be published later today).

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Candied Orange Peels with Chocolate and Chipotle Options

Turn peels from expensive organic oranges into a wide range of treats, from raisin substitutes to a gourmet candy. Boil the peels twice, once in plain water to extract the bitterness and then in sugar water to infuse them with sweetness. Save and reuse the sugar water used for the second boiling to make this a thrifty as well as easy and delicious dessert.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes plus a day or two for drying. Makes 16 servings, 5 slices each.

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