Healthy Chocolate Cake

Here is the first recipe from me.... opening with a healthy one :)

Before I start the recipe let me tell you that I don't come up with the recipes all by myself, that is I usually read about 15-20 or more recipes before coming up with THE one of my own which I feel will be perfect. Then I try that out and make adjustments. So here goes...

The cake will only take about an hour of your time, from prep to baking and an extra 10 minutes for it to cool down.

Getting Ready

Before you start baking get everything ready including the baking pan and a dishtowel to wipe hands, measuring cups/spoons, a big mixing bowl, spatula, your electric mixer (I have a Kitchen Aid 5-speed handheld mixer), or if u don't have one, just get a big whisk. And always always always, use the store bought measuring cups to measure out the ingredients when it comes to baking!

Ingredients

1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup All-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar (or white sugar, whichever you have, just that brown is healthier)
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's cocoa powder)
2/3 cup applesauce (get the original, no sugar added, unflavored version)
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup shredded carrots/zucchini.... u can use both together as well just don't exceed a cup.
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use Nestle Semisweet Mini Chocolate chips)
1/2 cup boiling water.... yes Boiling water :)

The Process

Preheat the oven to 350* F, and oil and grease a baking pan. (I used a 7 inch round pan. You can use any pan you have, just make sure that when you pour the batter in it it should come up to less than half of the pan's height, otherwise the cake will not have enough room to rise.) Also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, it makes it easier to take the cake out of the pan when it is done.

Combine and sift together in a large mixing bowl, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add the applesauce, egg, vanilla, veggies, and chocolate chips and mix to combine. Now just add the boiling water to this and mix till the batter is quiet smooth. Don't over-mix.

Now pour the batter into your greased and floured cake-pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, till a knife/toothpick inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean.

After the cake is done, leave it on the counter for about 5 minutes in the pan, and then loosen the edges and invert it on a plate, the cake should come out clean! then peel off the parchment paper from the base of the cake, and dig in!! or you can be patient and let the cake cool down and cover it with the frosting of your choice.

But neither my husband nor I can wait, so we just eat the hot cake with some Hershey's light chocolate syrup on top and a cup of milk :)

Looks something like this.. this is the scaled down version made in a ramekin.  (I promise to put a better picture next time :P )

You can double the recipe for a bigger cake or scale it down to make mini cakes in small ramekins, whatever works...

You can also add raisins instead of the chocolate chips... just an idea, I have never done it :) so if you do try it, let me know how that turns out!