I still don't have an answer to the old playground question of 'would you rather be really hot or really cold.' They both have their merits. Being hot you can always cool down in air con and drink icy cold drinks. Being cold you can wear lots of clothes and sip on hot chocolate. It's just too hard to choose between them. When it comes to food though, I have strong beliefs that some foods should always be cold and other hot or cooked.
I've never liked the thought of hot avocado, in fact have turned my nose at it being used on pizza or in pasta. Last year Not Quite Nigella featured a recipe for avocado loaf cake. It technically fell under the cooked category but I was intrigued. So intrigued that I ran to the kitchen and whipped up my own version a few hours later (such is the danger of working from home). The result was unlike anything I've ever tasted. It was dense and cakey but had an almost buttery feel to the crumb. It was more savoury than sweet but went perfectly with a cup of tea. I found it most delicious spread with butter.
Lorraine made a big loaf cake from the recipe but I thought it might be nice to make mini versions. It's probably not necessary but I like to line each hole when I make anything in the mini loaf tin. I make the paper extend over the sides too creating nifty little handles to lift them out of the tin. Butter each hole well before lining them.
Place the avocado, eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and milk into the jug of a blender and whiz it up until everything is smooth. This can be done in a food processor as well.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
Pour in the mixture from the blender and stir it all together until it is just combined.
Divide the batter between the eight sections of the tin. Bake the avocado loaves at 170C fan-forced for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Leave the little cakes in the tin to rest for five minutes after you take them out of the oven.
Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Avocado cake is best served smeared with creamy butter. Enjoy!
What about you? Would you rather be really hot or really cold?
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups plain AP flour
- ¼ cup cornflour/cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅓ cup almond meal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup light olive oil
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ripe medium avocados
- ½ cup milk soured with a tablespoon of lemon juice
- Butter to serve
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 170C(340F) fan-forced and grease and line a mini loaf tin with baking paper.
- Place the avocado, eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and milk in a blender or food processor and whiz them up until smooth.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and add the contents of the blender. Stir it all together until even.
- Divide the batter between the holes in the tin.
- Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer or cake tester inserted in the middle of one comes out clean.
- Leave them to rest in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring the cakes to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve them sliced and spread with butter.
Ruby says
Has anyone tried making this with GF flour? I've made these before and loved them but would like to gift a GF version to a friend.
Claire says
I can't see why it wouldn't work with GF flour Ruby.
Jessica says
I adore the color of these! They look moist and perfect - I'm thinking they might make a perfect St. Patty's day green snack!
Claire says
That's a great idea!
Celia says
What an interesting recipe! I have that pan at home, must look out for avos next week at the markets.. :)
Claire says
Definitely Celia. I'm sure you can think of an interesting twist on them too!
Melissa says
Claire where do I buy those mini loaf pans from? They look fantastic and would make such lovely gifts!I am in Sydney.
Claire says
Hi Melissa. I found some here http://www.kitchenwaredirect.com.au/Bakeware/Loaf-Pan/Bakers-Secret-8Cup-Petite-Loaf-Pan I'm not sure where I got mine it might have been a gift.
Lizzy (Good Things) says
Yum, these little beauties sound delicious!
Claire says
They are Lizzy!
Anna @ the shady pine says
What gorgeous little avocado loaves. You would feel special indeed getting one of these so prettily wrapped!
Claire says
Thanks Anna. I love giving little food gifts. I hope people like receiving them!
Daisy@Nevertoosweet says
I've always been intrigued by avocado cake because I've always related avocado to guacamole lol and that's definitely savoury :)
Hmmm I think i'd rather it be VERY cold :) because I had it when its so hot, I get so lazy and I hate being in the kitchen when it's so hot~
Claire says
It's more of a savoury cake than sweet - very tricky to describe the taste. Haha that is true about being very hot. On the other hand when it's very cold I just want to curl up in front of the heater.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I'm so pleased that you made it Claire and that you liked it! It's quite hard to describe isn't it and it is quite unlike other cakes. And when I tried it with more sugar, it didn't work as well and thought that the original amount of sugar was ideal :) Oh and I love the idea of making little ones-so cute! I must get a hold of one of those little loaf tins!
Claire says
I think extra sugar would upset it somehow. It's just not meant to be a sweet cake... butter on the other hand perfects it.
Yes you definitely need a mini loaf tin. They're adorable!