How can one not love avocados? These rich, silky-textured green fruits not only make wicked tasty guacamole, but they also provide essential vitamins and nutrients that our bodies use as slow-burning energy. Additionally, avocados lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and sugar levels while promoting eye health, preventing signs of aging, nourishing the skin, and much more.

As a college student with dietary restrictions, I find it particularly difficult to locate good sources of protein. However, raw avocados–which contain 2.9 grams of protein per cup–can be baked, cooked, or mashed with other protein-rich sources. One of my favorite recipes, which I created in my kitchen back home as my sister’s sous chef, is an avocado chocolate protein pudding. And yes, avocados can be a dessert! If the texture of pudding isn’t for you, not to worry–avocados can be put in delicious cakes as well! Fortunately, these recipes aren’t too difficult to whip up; in fact, they take at most five steps to assemble.

 

Chocolate Avocado Protein Pudding

Ingredients

1 avocado

1/2 cup almond milk (can be substituted with coconut milk, cashew milk, or any non-dairy milk product)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 scoops protein powder

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Honey, to taste

Cinnamon, to taste

Raspberries, to garnish

 

Directions

1. Find a ripe avocado, cut in half, safely remove the pit, and mash it up in any sort of bowl or container.

2. Add the honey and cinnamon. The honey will make the avocado just a tad sweet, while the cinnamon will make it a tad spicy.

3. Add almond milk.

4. Add unsweetened cocoa powder.

5. Add approximately two scoops of your favorite protein powder and vanilla extract. Throw a few raspberries on top to garnish.

 

Double Chocolate Avocado Mocha Coconut Cake

Ingredients (Cake)

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (preferably organic)

1/2 cup maple syrup (grade B)

1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup 100% unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

6 eggs

A dash of coconut oil

 

Directions (Cake)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grab a whisk or hand mixer and beat all the ingredients together.

3. Grab a cake pan and rub coconut oil all over the pan. Use more than the minimum amount; you don’t want your cake to stick to the pan.

4. Bake for about 35 minutes.

5. Let cake cool, and then add frosting.

 

Ingredients (Frosting)

3 avocados

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 tbsp. decaf ground coffee

1/2 maple syrup (grade B)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Salt, to taste

Cinnamon, to taste

 

Directions (Frosting)

1. Slice avocados in half and remove pits.

2. If you can get your hands on a blender, throw all of the pitted avocados into the blender. If not, mash by hand.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the blended avocado.

4. Blend mixture until smooth.

5. Spread generously on top of cake.

This cake is the exact recipe that my sister and I created for my mom’s birthday last year. However, we did something a little different to spice it up. Instead of putting the chocolate-avocado-mocha frosting on top, we baked two cakes and stuck the frosting in the middle. And because we wanted to serve the cake chilled, we created a dairy-free chocolate-coconut ganache for the outside of the cake.

 

Ingredients (Ganache)

1 cup vegan/dairy-free/gluten-free chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

 

Directions (Ganache)

 

1. Melt chocolate chips on the stovetop or in a microwave.

2. Whisk coconut milk into melted chocolate.

3. Add vanilla extract and salt.

4. When cake is cool, take a soft spatula and spread ganache onto the outside of the cake.

5. Place cake into fridge and let ganache harden for at least an hour.