Eating healthy can be tricky, especially through the winter months when we find ourselves turning to baggier clothes, pumpkin spice lattes and sugary snacks to make ourselves feel better. But at this time of year more than ever, your body needs the nutrients provided by vegetables. So here’s a few ways to get those vitamins you need—through the medium of cake.
1. Zucchini Bread Coffee Cake
Coffee and cake go hand in hand, but if you’re sipping on a milky drink and munching a buttery treat every day, it can all add up. Try forcing some veggies into your snack-time with this zucchini-packed coffee cake. The natural moisture of the zucchini will make sure this beautiful bake is nice and moist, speckled with delightful green pieces to remind you that you’re being a little bit healthy.
2. Beetroot Chocolate Cake
Beets and chocolate might sound like an odd combination, but the first time you take a bite of this moist, rich, dark sponge all your troubles will melt away. Not to mention, it’s a great way to get the kids to unwittingly try beetroot. The richness of the beets pairs perfectly with the chocolate, and they add a dense yet moist texture that you’ll fall in love with. Get the recipe here.
3. Lemon, Cucumber and Gin Cake
Ok, this probably isn’t one for the kids to try. It’s got a winning combination of lemon, gin and cucumber. Although we’re not really used to having cucumber in our cakes, the light flavor pairs perfectly with the gin for a slightly naughty, slightly nice little slice of heaven. Learn how to make it here.
4. Zucchini, Carrot and Apple Bread
This heavenly spiced loaf cake is a real beauty, dotted with beautiful orange and green specks of veggies while packing in some delightful cinnamon and ginger to make you feel warm and cozy.
5. Spinach and Black Bean Brownies
Photo by Makeover Moms CC-BY
Not only do these scrumptious little squares boast two different superfoods, they’re also totally gluten free thanks to the black beans and a little rice flour. I’ll take 10.
6. Kale Lime Pie
This fruity green wonder is great because it’s full of good stuff, and nobody will even know it’s packing one of nature’s greatest superfoods. Click here to make this twist on a classic for yourself.
7. Swede Nutmeg Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Swede is an often overlooked winter vegetable, but it’s full of calcium, potassium, fiber and some essential vitamins. You won’t even know how healthy you’re being when you chow down on this sweet and fluffy treat.
8. Apple and Parsnip Cake
Parsnips are another great vegetable we only seem to think about once or twice a year, but in this recipe they lend their distinctive flavor to a baked delight like you’ve never tasted before.
9. Baked Pumpkin Streusel Donuts
Those huge, orange squash aren’t just for carving and putting on the front porch. This delectable recipe will give you all the joy of a donut while knowing they’re a little bit healthier because they’re baked, not fried, and full of delicious pumpkin.
10. Chocolate and Avocado Cake with Chocolate Avocado Frosting
You haven’t known true joy until you’ve felt how incredibly fudgy and moist an avocado chocolate cake can be. And with even more avocado in the frosting, you’re packing in lots of really good stuff and no one will even know. Plus, more avocado means less butter, which means more of the good stuff and less saturated fat.
11. Sweet Potato Brownies
The health benefits of sweet potatoes are widely chronicled, so why not make them into something everyone will want to fight over? This beautiful recipe is totally clean and vegan—and nobody will know the difference.
12. Caramel Pecan Carrot Cupcakes
Photo by Nick Harris CC-BY
We’ve all had carrot cake at some point—it’s a classic. But these bundles of joy take that vintage delight to a whole new level, and they even make use of pineapple to add a bit of natural sweetness to cut down on processed sugar.
13. Maple and Yogurt Butternut Squash Cake
This lovely, rustic cake makes use of maple syrup and butternut squash to provide a sweet, decadent hit without sugar. And that frosting? Heavenly. Find out how to make it here.
14. Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes
Did you know that beets were once used to give red velvet cake its deep hue? Nothing gets people excited more than a rich, delicious red velvet cake, and with these wonderful cupcakes they won’t even know they’re eating veggies.
15. Cinnamon Crunch Butternut Squash Muffins
If you’re looking for a slightly healthy treat or just a grab-and-go breakfast, these muffins are perfect. The squash keeps them wonderfully moist, and the added step of roasting them first gives it an extra nutty caramel flavor without adding anything unhealthy.
16. Purple Yam Layer Cake
Forget about red velvet for second – there’s a new color in town. This purple layer cake features yam powder, and it’s sure to be a hit with even the pickiest eaters.
17. Sweet Potato Cake with Bourbon Caramel Frosting
Has a more alluring sentence ever been uttered? Sweet potatoes are undoubtedly a superfood, and subbing out some of the traditional granulated sugar for the natural sweetness they provide makes a big difference. Find out how to make this treat here.
18. Spiced Parsnip Cake
Photo by jules CC-BY
This festive bake will give you another reason to look forward to Christmas. Or, you could just make it any time of year. Who are we to judge?