Student Approved Sweets

Baking without refined sugar can be a challenge at first, but by using healthier sweeteners like stevia and coconut sugar you can still have sweets and not feel {too} guilty about it!

As we were wrapping up our Kid's Cooking Camp at Marian Hope Academy, we made 3 desserts that were just too good not to share! The first recipe, Heirloom Chocolate Cake, is featured in our Cook 2 Flourish Cookbook, and the other two recipes are some new favorites!

I hope you love them!

Heirloom Chocolate Cake

12 servings

2 ounces 70% or higher dark chocolate, divided

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin coconut oil

1 teaspoon organic pure vanilla extract

½ cup pumpkin

¼ cup raw honey OR coconut sugar

½-¾ teaspoon stevia

1 organic egg, beaten

¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

¾ cup garbanzo bean flour, sifted

2 Tablespoons coconut flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1) Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 2 quart saucepan, melt 1 ounce of the baking chocolate with the coconut oil.

2) Add to the saucepan, vanilla, pumpkin, your choice of honey or coconut sugar and stevia.

3) Stir in the egg and milk and mix well.

4) Sift the garbanzo bean flour, coconut flour and soda into a measuring cup and set aside. Chop the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate into chunks.

6) Add the flour mixture to the saucepan and stir just until combined.

7) Fold in the chocolate chunks.

8) Pour into a 9x9x2 inch glass pan coated with non-stick avocado oil spray. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes.

**Do not lick the batter; garbanzo bean flour doesn't taste good until it is baked.

Butternut Squash “Cinnamon Rounds”

serves 4-6

½ butternut squash

1-2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ Tablespoon maple syrup or honey

Walnuts, pecans, or chopped almonds, optional

Directions:

1) Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a small glass dish, stir together the oil, cinnamon and maple syrup/honey to form a paste.

3) Slice the butternut “neck” into ¼ inch slices and spread the paste on top. Bake on a glass dish or cookie sheet for 18-25 minutes until tender and slightly bubbly.