I like brownies…and cake…and definitely brownie cake. Okay, I like anything with chocolate, especially if it’s healthy and doesn’t taste like it. When I first made this recipe I had my sights set on a gooey brownie, but when it turned out it was definitely part brownie and part cake. I tried to think of a name for it: brake (brownie + cake), caknies (cake + brownie), or maybe a crownie?
It didn’t work for me either…
So I just settled for brownie cake because let’s face it, these have “icing” and a whopping two cups of zucchini that you can’t even taste and it doesn’t get better than that. I suppose since we’re friends, I need to share this recipe with you so we can settle the myth that healthy foods taste like cardboard once and for all, and you can get rid of all that zucchini you have no idea what to do with.
Before I do, there are a few things I need to share with you. First, most brownie (or cake) recipes call for a ton of sugar – like two cups. Mine don’t. I use just enough sweet stuff to cover the bitterness of the cocao because there’s chocolate icing on top and some vegan chocolate chips thrown in there too.
I also used an egg. If you don’t they’ll be more fudgy and you might like that, but this is brownie CAKE. Finally, for the icing I used raw coconut oil as my fat because it’s uber good for you. (We all need a little more good fat in our lives.) If you don’t like the taste of coconut, you can used a refined version of the oil (which has been pretty much refined of its coconut taste) or butter. (Butter makes everything better.)
If you want a brownie cake with soft, warm, icing, leave these at room temperature. If you want something with firm icing that you can grab and go (into another room to binge on), place them in the fridge for 30 minutes. Oh…and one last thing…I wouldn’t tell anyone you’re making these – or if you do, tell them there’s zucchini in it so that you can save the entire pan for yourself.
- For the Brownies
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- ½ cup of arrowroot starch
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- ⅓ cup of vegan chocolate chips
- For the Icing
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup softened raw coconut oil
- ½ cup of arrowroot starch
- ½ cup of raw agave
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Preheat oven to 350°F and coat a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray or coconut oil. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients.
- Add all of the wet ingredients to the bowl and combine. Don't over mix.
- Add chocolate chips, if desired and pour into your pan.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when touched.
- To make the icing: Whisk all of your icing ingredients together. Spread over cooled brownies, and cut into squares. If you want them to be "set" like a brownie, you can place the pan in the fridge for 30 minutes. If you want warm, ooey-gooey cake, slice it and eat it!
Nicole
September 8, 2017 at 7:40 pmWhat if I’m allergic to almonds? Ideas?
Tammy
March 5, 2018 at 12:52 amMy son is allergic to almonds. I’m also wishing for a reply…
Megan Heimer
March 5, 2018 at 8:37 amI would try cashew flour or a combination (1/2 and 1/2 of brown rice and arrowroot). I haven’t tried coconut flour but that’s an option also.
Anne
July 20, 2017 at 2:16 pmWhat would be good in place of the agave? Maple sugar? Would it change the taste to much? or honey?
lisa
July 20, 2017 at 12:42 pmquestion, for the icing, what if you don’t want to use agave? what are some alternatives? Also, the zucchini should be strained, correct?
Megan Heimer
July 20, 2017 at 8:06 pmI didn’t strain it but if its watery you could. Maple syrup might be good.
Denise Rollick
July 19, 2017 at 11:04 pmAgave syrup has more fructose in it than high fructose corn syrup.
Megan Heimer
July 20, 2017 at 8:08 pmI don’t subscribe to the agave hate. 🙂 RAW agave is not even on the same level as high fructose corn syrup.
Rosemarie Montgomery
July 11, 2017 at 8:01 pmTrying to refer back to an article you posted 7-7-2014. It was there on May 24, 2017, when I added it to my Dissertation entitled “TO VACCINATE, OR NOT TO VACCINATE? THAT IS THE QUESTION. HOW TO EFFECTIVELY SURVIVE EITHER CHOICE IS THE ANSWER.” Can you please help me to find it again. This is the original link:
https://www.livingwhole.org/god-does-not-support-vaccines/
dana anderson
May 28, 2017 at 1:14 pmI made these last night and my God they were great thank you for the recipe do you have any that is not with chocolate my wife can’t eat chocolate.
Courtney
October 26, 2016 at 10:48 pmYUM! Bare with me. I’ve seen you mention “raw coconut oil” a few times. And I found your suggested link in one of your posts, but I didn’t even see “raw” on the label. We have Dr Bronners Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, is that raw? Or what about Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil? Help me understand this!
Megan Heimer
October 27, 2016 at 2:03 amGood question.
Organic, extra virgin or virgin, and cold-pressed (or centrifuge extracted) coconut oil is considered “raw.” 😉 I use Kevala “RAW” coconut oil a lot, but it’s more expensive than the one I linked – which is also cold-pressed but simply doesn’t say “raw” on the label. If your coconut oil is refined, expeller pressed, or simply says “organic,” then it probably isn’t raw. A lot of people still use it though when cooking at higher temps. *This recipe will turn out well with just about any coconut oil you use. 😉