Some of my favorite recipes have hidden healthy ingredients in them. This one happens to have a good helping of eggplant. Did I lose you yet? Keep reading – I promise these are well worth the effort.
Eggplants are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They may also help improve your heart health as well as help to control your blood sugar levels. The best part, though, is they are super low in calories. In fact, one cup of cooked eggplant has only 20 calories and three grams of fiber. Eggplant is a great way to bulk up a dish without adding a ton of extra calories and fat.
The other reason I really like eggplant in this recipe is it really helps deepen the chocolate flavor. When cooked, I find that eggplant takes on almost a butter like consistency and has a very neutral flavor. It will pair well with whatever you chose to cook it with. Because it’s not overpowering the chocolate flavor really shines. I also always add espresso powder to my chocolate cakes and brownies – it deepens the chocolate flavor giving it a more intense richness. This cake is good on its own – trust me. You might end up just wanting to eat it out of the pan. I do suggest making either a peanut butter drizzle or fudge frosting for this cake – or just sprinkle it with a touch of powdered sugar!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup eggplant – peeled, cooked and puréed
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon of espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease a 9” by 9” baking pan and set aside.
- Mix together sugar, eggs and vanilla until well creamed.
- Mix in eggplant.
- In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- Mix together wet and dry mixtures.
- Pour better into baking pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before serving.
- Enjoy with a peanut butter drizzle or fudgy frosting!
The Petite Homestead 