Sunshine....

....makes me happy. Doesn't matter what the temp is. Just sayin'.

So how could I not blog about this? I like to experiment with my cooking and baking. So when I saw this recipe over at my friend Joy The Baker's blog, how could I not try it? Did you go look at her blog? You should, she rocks...I'll wait. Just make sure you come back. (Actually, I have never met Joy. She lives in Cali. But she feels like my friend. Someday I want to spend a day in her kitchen with her...until then, *sigh* I'll just try to re-bake her recipes.)

Anyway, if you looked, you  would see that she is adventurous, too, and she made a cake and frosting with avocado. Stop looking so surprised. I told you, she rocks. I trust her. So I wanted to make them, too. (I want to be twinsies with Joy The Baker.) So I did. Here is the recipe (in case you really ARE too intrigued with my blog to go see hers.) 

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Avocado

makes 2 8-inch rounds or 2 thinner 9-inch rounds

from Vegetarian in the Middle East

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used almond oil)

1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado

2 cups water

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch rounds.  Set aside.

Sift together all of the dry ingredients except the sugar.  Set that aside too.

Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl, including the super mashed avocado.

Add sugar into the wet mix and stir.

Mix the wet with the dry all at once, and beat with a whisk (by hand) until smooth.

Pour batter into a greased cake tins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting with avocado buttercream.

Avocado Buttercream Frosting

from Alton Brown

8 ounces of avocado meat, about 2 small to medium, very ripe avocados

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 pound powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peel and pit the soft avocados.  It’s important to use the ripest avocados you can get your hands on.  If the avocados have brown spots in the meat, avoid those spots when you scoop the meat into the bowl.

Place the avocado meat into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment.  Add lemon juice and whisk the avocado on medium speed, until slightly lightened in color and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and beat.  Add vanilla extract until combined.  If not using right away, store in the refrigerator.  Don’t worry.  It won’t turn brown!

Now, let me explain a few things...

First of all, I like coconut. A LOT. So, I put a little in the batter. Whatever, it added a little extra munch. I'm thinking coarsely chopped nuts would add something, as well. Second of all, Wegman's didn't have ripe avocados. This irritated me. But I had my heart set on baking this, today, so I bought what they had. I had a VERY hard time smashing them, but just when I thought my frustration would get the better of me, I tried just putting them into the food processor and whipping the crap out of them. Seriously. I turned it on and walked away. Low and behold, it worked! What's that you say? You want pics? Here you go. 

This is the frosting. Yep, it really is that color. This was before I added coconut to that, too. I told you, I love 

the stuff. Also, I didn't exactly follow the recipe. I didn't measure out the sugar...I just kept pouring it in until the frosting was to the sweetness and consistency I liked. I recommend you do the same. 

 I have this nifty little pan for making things bite-size. I love it. You want a bite? Seriously, this is tiny. And delicious. You are still questioning that, aren't you? I can tell. Believe me, if these little cupcakes had crapped out on me, I wouldn't be posting about them. The cake is moist and just the right sweetness, and the frosting really is good. Just....a lovely shade of Gak green.

Maybe you want many bites?

I read that adding a little cocoa powder to the frosting is good...hmmm...chocolate avocado frosting? Don't mind if I do. So for the last few, that's what I did. They were right. It is good. I think I even prefer it.

Oh, yeah...I also put some veggie kabobs into the fridge in some super-delicious marinade. Can't wait to grill these up, tomorrow.  Yes, that's right. I said grill. 40 degrees be darned. Here in Central NY, WE decide when spring comes, and I say it's grillin' time. Have a great weekend, everyone!!Much love!