This doesn't taste like a diet..........

This sugar-loving, sweet-toothed mama is thrilled to have found that there are desserts that can taste good and have the ability to satisfy my sweet tooth. 

My cake recipe is adapted from this one.

Chocolate Blackberry Hazelnut Fudge Cake {printable recipe here}

2 small oranges

1 cup xylitol

1/2 tbs pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup hazelnuts

¼ cup cocoa butter

2 T. Almond butter

3/4 cup cooked black beans

1 egg

1/2 tbs coconut oil

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1/4 cup almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

½ cup blackberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet/cast iron pan and  roast for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool. Once they are cool, rub with a clean tea towel to remove the skins, and grind  in a food processor/Ninja. Grind just a bit - leave a little “chunk”. Set aside.

Blend together oranges, xylitol, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.

In food processor, pulse the cocoa butter into fine pieces. Add black beans, cocoa powder, coconut oil, almond butter. Combine. Add orange mixture and mix to combine.

Add the flour, baking powder and soda, and mix. Stir in hazelnuts.

Place in cake pan and top with blackberries (other berries would be good too!)

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. The outer edges should look “cooked through” while the middle will be a little “fudgy-gooey”.

This cake is best topped with Sugar-Free Blackberry Syrup! 

Last night I served this to company so to make my cake a little more "normal" for my guests, I offered toppings for the cake of ice cream, chocolate syrup and blackberry syrup. I'm glad that I have friends that will participate in my experiments (I almost wrote "like my experiments"....but they may just be kind to object :) )

While my son (age 13) ate a piece with no toppings, I fearfully asked, "So? What do you think?"

His response? "Amazing!" I think he was exaggerating......

Progress Report: Down NINE pounds and fitting into clothes that I couldn't wear one month ago. I took a "before" picture yesterday even though it's technically not a before or "beginning of my journey" picture. However this picture will not be revealed until I have an "after" shot. Amazing how a picture can humble a person.

Linking up a little late with Stacy and Gwen at:

To find out more about Trim Healthy Mama visit here.