irresistible chocolate brownie cake or muffins

How about we start Friday off right with a chocolately treat?  Sounds good to me!  This cake, or the muffins (depending on what you bake in) are seriously irresistible.  SO SO SOOO good that you might be kind of surprised that there’s healthy stuff in it.

Like sweet potato puree, whole wheat flour and olive oil.  It turns out incredibly moist, which I believe comes from the sweet potato and olive oil.  It’s vegan, if that’s your thing.  It has dark chocolate chips in and on top, making it extra chocolately and delicious.  You really can’t go wrong with more chocolate chips.  Am I right?!?

I actually made these muffins a long time ago because I wanted a bit of a healthier chocolate muffin to send along with Jacob while he was working.  Then I forgot about them (gasp!).   It took me looking waaayyyy back on my facebook page to find the recipe for them.  Next time I want to make them (like tomorrow – we are already out!) it will be easier to find.  So here it is, for you and me to have at hand.

I think it’s baking time!

Chocolate Brownie Cake or Muffins

adapted from copycat chocolate brownie vitamuffins

Makes 1 loaf of cake + 6 muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk of choice
• 1/2 cup olive oil, or sub more milk
• 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups sweet potato puree **
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup natural cane sugar (you could just use 1/2 cup with good results too)
• highly recommended: 1 cup dark chocolate chips or mini chips (mixed into the batter)
• optional: extra chocolate chips, for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease a loaf pan and standard-sized 6 muffin pan. You can choose to only use a loaf pan and make no muffins, you will just need to bake it longer than listed below.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients and whisk. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except the decoration ingredient, and stir well. Now mix wet into dry and stir until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
3. Distribute batter evenly among loaf pan and 6 muffin cups, and—if desired— sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake muffins for 12 minutes and the loaf for 25 minutes.  Check with a toothpick for doneness before removing from the oven.  Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan and muffin tins.

** Note about the sweet potato puree.  I actually used baby food, which has water added into it, as opposed to actual canned sweet potato (or homemade).  If you use canned, non baby food kind, I suggest trying 3/4 cup sweet potato and 1/4 cup water to help give it a little more moisture.

What are you planning to make this weekend? Any sweet treats?  Sharing is caring!

Have a great one!

Heather