Noshing: Healthy Birthday Cake

Today’s my birthday.  In preparation for the upcoming weekend birthday celebrations, I am prepared to BMOC (Bring My Own Cake).

I’m in the minority…I just don’t have a sweet tooth.  I am not craving cupcakes or cake.  However, I still want to celebrate and blow out a candle.  We’ll just leave it at 1 candle–I don’t need the cake to catch on fire.

As I scoured my collection of heart-healthy cookbooks, I cracked open Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease:  The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn.  I know what you’re thinking–that book does not scream yummy birthday cake recipe.  Well, I gave the Birthday Cake recipe a try (with my own tweaks, of course), and I’m happy with the cake.  I’ll serve it at a family dinner on Saturday night (if it lasts that long) with a fruit salad.  I kind of hope my family doesn’t read this post – sometimes it’s better to serve healthy cake to an unsuspecting audience.  The Quality Assurance Guy wasn’t sure what think of this one–he thought it lacked the “characteristically rich chocolate flavor that” he has “grown accustom to over the last X # of years”.  I told him to put chocolate chips on his piece of healthy cake and call it a day.

Healthy Birthday Cake
Tweaked from the original recipe in Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup (or less) sugar–note:  I did not use any sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup vanilla flavored nonfat dairy milk
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tblsp vanilla extract
1 tblsp blackstrap molasses
egg replacer for 2 eggs (2 tblsp ground flaxseed meal mixed with 6 tblsp water)

Making the egg replacer

Directions
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease pan (for thinner cake use a 9×13; for a thicker cake use a 6×8 or 8×8 pan).
*Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
*Mix wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
*Pour dry ingredients into liquid and stir with a spoon or spatula.
*Spread batter evenly into baking pan, dust top of cake with cinnamon (optional) and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean and cake is not sticky to the touch.
*Cool before removing from pan.
*Serve with fruit and enjoy!

Healthy Birthday Cake

As you can see, I couldn’t wait until it cooled to try it out.  I’ll report back with more cake feedback post-birthday celebrations!

Happy weekend everyone!!

Question:  What’s your favorite birthday treat?

**Rishi Tea Giveaway winner** Thanks to everyone who entered the Rishi Tea giveaway.  Congratulations to Brigid!  She’s got a new french press/travel mug and is excited to try Rishi!  (From random.org:  Result:9)
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