{21-Day Fix Approved} Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Oh my word.  Talk about good - my family had no idea it was a healthier cake made with all clean eating ingredients!  You'll flip over this vanilla cake with chocolate frosting!! 

If you follow the 21-Day fix meal plan, you'll be happy to know that this is 21-Day Fix APPROVED. In fact, it is from Autumn's new cookbook called Fixate!  I adapted it slightly, replacing the almond an coconut flour with white whole wheat flour.  

I honestly don't do much baking anymore so when this cookbook was released, with DESSERTS, I immediately had to try most of them.  And I have!  I will be sharing more of the recipes as I make them again.  In the meantime, if you'd like to purchase the cookbook itself, click HERE.  Um, did someone say Fix approved Skinny Cocktails???

Serves 12 

{21-Day Fix Approved} Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted organic butter, room temperature, divided
1 cup of honey (or maple syrup)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and mix well.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup honey for 1 minute.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beat until blended.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until creamy.

Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool on a baking rack.

Beat the remaining 1/4 cup butter in a medium bowl for 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy.  Add remaining 3 tablespoons of almond milk to butter and beat until blended.  Add cocoa powder, beat until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup honey while beating on medium speed.  Once cake is cooled, evenly spread with frosting and cut into 12 slices.

(Source:  Adapted from the Fixate Cookbook)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Double chocolate muffins that are...healthy?  Yes please!!

Not only do these have a full cup of zucchini (yes, a vegetable!), but they are made using applesauce and coconut oil, honey and NO refined sugar.  They are dense and moist and a perfect breakfast on-the-go muffin.    

I suggest you double the recipe!  They freeze SO well.  I did actually double it because I had an extra zucchini I needed to use.  I'm glad I did.  They went too fast!

Yields 12 muffins

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk or almond milk
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.  After you've peeled and shredded the zucchini, squeeze out the excess water with a paper towel (do not skip this step!).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add coconut oil, honey, vanilla and eggs; mix on medium-low until smooth and well combined.  Add in zucchini, applesauce and milk and mix again.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Gently fold in about 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips.

Using an ice cream scoop, pour the batter into the cupcake liners, about 3/4 way full.  Evenly sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on the top of the cupcakes.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 5 minutes, remove muffins and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

(Source:  Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen)

"Skinny" Pineapple Cupcakes with Greek Yogurt Coconut Icing

I never realized how many different things you can use Greek yogurt for - it's like magic!!  Amazing.  I kept seeing posts on Pinterest for just using a box cake mix mixed with Greek yogurt for a skinnier version of regular cake.  Guess what...it works! 

I was in the mood for something tropical tasting as I had a can of crushed pineapple that keeps staring at me in my cupboard, waiting to be used.  Sort of reminds of a hummingbird cake.  These cupcakes turned out so moist and delicious - I will never go back to oil and eggs again!

I topped them with shredded coconut, you know, in keeping the tropical theme.  And I used Greek yogurt in the icing too!!  As a substitute for butter.  And I used about 2 1/2 cups less confectioner's sugar than I normally use in my cream cheese icing.  The icing was perfect and held up just fine (maybe a little thinner than you are used to but believe me, it works).  Hope you enjoy these "skinny" cupcakes!

Yields 18 cupcakes

"Skinny" Pineapple Cupcakes with Greek Yogurt Coconut Icing

1 box butter yellow cake mix
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple (including the juice)
1/2 cup water

For the icing
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 (8 oz) brick of neufchatel cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Line 2 muffin tins with liners (to equal 18 muffins) and preheat the oven according to directions for cupcakes on the box of cake mix.  Combine all of the ingredients for the cupcakes in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined and there are no lumps.  Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake according to time on the cake box (mine was 18-21 minutes) or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.

To make the icing, combine the ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until combined.  Spread evenly on each cupcake.  Top with shredded coconut, using about 1 tablespoon per cupcake.