Time for Lime Cake or Cupcakes (S)

Made into cupcakes, this cake is a bright, fun treat for parties. But don’t wait for a party. This moist, sweet, and citrusy cake with its creamy lime frosting makes a great afternoon snack, or even a breakfast with a Healing Trimmy (see pages 430–433). A few spinach leaves give it a lovely light green hue, but there is no spinach taste—we promise! And you don’t have to use any special flours to make this cake; an 80-cent can of beans will do. You can find coconut flour at most grocery stores these days.

Serving Size: Multiple-serve; Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake…

– Coconut oil spray
– 2 large eggs
– 2/3 cup egg whites (carton or fresh)
– 6 to 8 large fresh spinach leaves
– 15 ounces Great Northern beans (rinsed and drained) (or, 1 & 1/2 cups cooked white beans, drained)
– 1/2 cup THM Baking Blend (or 6 Tablespoons oat fiber or coconut flour)
– 1/2 cup THM Gentle Sweet
– 2 Tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
– 1/3 cup 0% Greek yogurt (or cottage cheese)
– 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
– 3 to 4 drops essential lime oil (optional)
– 1 & 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the Frosting…
– 4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese
– 3 large fresh spinach leaves
– 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
– 3 drops essential lime oil (optional)
– 1/2 cup heavy cream
– 8 teaspoons THM Gentle Sweet

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with the coconut oil spray if making the cake, or line the holes of a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Make the cake. Put the whole eggs, egg whites, and spinach in a blender and blend on high until the spinach is completely broken down; you don’t want any little bits of leaf or stalk. Add all the other cake ingredients, then blend well for 30 seconds or so.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or for 25 minutes in the muffin tin for the cupcakes.

4. While the cake or cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Put the cream cheese, spinach, lime juice, and lime oil in a blender and process until pureed and smooth. Add the cream and and sweetener, and blend another minute or so.

5. Once cool, frost the cake in the pan or remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and frost cupcakes in the liners. Place the cake or cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours before eating (this takes away any beaniness).

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RECIPE NOTES:
The optional lime oil really, really makes it! Thankfully, pure essential lime oil is one of the least expensive oils. If you don’t have an oil dealer as a friend (and who doesn’t know an essential oil dealer these days?), you can buy it for about $7 at health food stores.
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NSI (If using coconut flour in place of Baking Blend and a store-bought, plan-approved sweetener instead of THM sweeteners.)