By combining boiling water and cake batter, you can create a decadent pudding-plus-cake dessert. You’ll impress your guests with this easy treat -- and feel good knowing it contains fewer calories and fat than most desserts. Cocoa powder contains very little fat compared to actual chocolate, yet it’s very high in heart-healthy flavanol antioxidants. Saturated fat is also considerably lower in this dessert recipe, since canola oil and 1% milk serve as smart substitutes for butter and heavy cream. Serve with fresh raspberries or cherries for some color and a nutrient boost.
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup very firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat an 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
3. With a fork or wooden spoon, stir in milk, oil, egg yolk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Lightly stir in chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into prepared dish.
5. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa. Sprinkle over batter in dish.
6. Pour boiling water over top; do not stir.
7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or just until center is almost set. To test, insert a toothpick in the center; slight sticky crumbs will remain on toothpick when cake is ready.
8. Cool. Spoon into dishes (and top with dollop of whipped cream and fruit if desired).
Nutrition information (per serving)
318 calories
3 g protein
54 g carbohydrates
11 g fat (2 g saturated)
22 mg cholesterol
118 mg sodium
82 mg potassium
49 mg calcium
2.4 mg iron
49 IU vitamin A
0 mg vitamin C
1.5 g fiber
