Have That Chocolate Cake and Eat It, Too!

Chocolate Cake Day January 27

Let’s head right to the “meat” of this treat – the chocolate.

Good Chocolate News: While consumption of saturated fats is still thought to raise cholesterol levels, thus raising the risk of heart disease, regular consumption of cocoa butter and chocolate has been repeatedly shown to not raise blood cholesterol. (See: The Nutrients in Chocolate)

Chocolate Nutrition

Chocolate contains essential macro and micronutrients; plus, there are a number of phytochemicals in cocoa and chocolate that may have important health effects in humans.

Some chocolates and cocoas contain a relatively rich flavonoid content.

Dark chocolate is extra rich in flavonoids, which act as natural antioxidants.

Chocolate is an Herb!

It’s true, chocolate is considered an herb. The Mayans of Central America worshiped the cacao plant (Theobroma cacao), used its beans as money, and brewed them into a medicinal drink called xocolatl, mixed with wine and fermented corn.

Chocolate is to be eaten and enjoyed – so let’s do just that – no matter which diet you follow – and bake up a chocolate cake!

Bake That Chocolate Cake

The ways one can make chocolate cake are endless. We love a rich, mocha-chocolate cake, while others love a rich, dark chocolate cake, still others a smooth milk chocolate cake…then there’s German chocolate cake, cinnamon chocolate cake, chocolate pound cake and so on it goes.

Thinking chocolate cake is just too fattening, or too rich, or too calorie laden? Well, no doubt it can be. There’s no escaping that; however, there are some work-arounds and ways to lose some of those unwanted components.

One means we use to cut down the fat and calories in our favorite chocolate cakes is to use a chocolate sauce to top it off rather than a rich, butter cream frosting. It’s amazingly good, too! Some suggestions from BellyBytes.com:

• Mexican Chocolate Sauce
• Heavenly Fudge Sauce
• Chocolate Cappuccino Sauce
• White Truffle Sauce
• Rich Island Chocolate Sauce
• Hot Fudge Sauce

Chocolate Cake for Diets

Diabetic

How about some chocolate cakes taylor-made for dietary needs… If you’re a diabetic, consider this Diabetic Chocolate Cake. Want to make your chocolate cake an “Adult Cake”? Try this diabetic friendly Chocolate Kahlua Cake. Another diabetic friendly chocolate cake recipe in one of those luscious cake rolls mentioned previously: Chocolate Mocha Cream roll.

Low Fat

If you’re carefully watching your fat intake but wish to celebrate chocolate cake anyway, consider this Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake – an impressive chocolate dessert recipe that even the culinary challenged can make. Or there’s our delicious Chocolate Filled Cake Roll. And we all know how some fruits taste so good with chocolate…well, how about this low-in-fat Chocolate Custard Cake with Raspberries?

Vegan or Vegetarian

Practicing a vegan or vegetarian diet? Consider this Fantastic Vegan Chocolate Cake.

Wheat Free

Need to or wish to go wheat free in your cake? How about this Basic Chocolate Cake Wheat Free Recipe. Or how about Gluten Free? Heavenly Chocolate Cake Gluten-Free Recipe, or the Gluten Free Black Magic Cake.

Low Carb

And, many still prefer to eat low carb: Chocolate Cake Low Carb Recipe.

Low Calorie

Why, one can even go low calorie with chocolate cake: Low Calorie Chocolate Cake Recipe or how about a low calorie Black Devil’s Food Cake?

Low Sodium

Speaking of fruit, did you ever try a banana and chocolate cake? If not, consider a low-in-sodium Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake.

Others…

Even yogurt gets into the chocolate cake with this moist Chocolate Yogurt Cake. And potatoes, too! Check out this Potato Chocolate Cake Recipe.

Happy chocolate cake day!

Category: Food Fitness