Any kind of cake is fine by me, but there’s something about citrus in cakes that’s just the perfect level of bright flavor. I love lemon loaf, so when I saw this recipe for avocado lime cake I was intrigued. You might not think of avocado as a cake ingredient, but think about how good applesauce is in spice cake or carrots are in carrot cake. It’s the same thing here where the avocado adds a creaminess to both the cake and the frosting that is so smooth and fresh. Simply put: this is one refreshing cake.
Aside from the wonderful flavor, the other great great thing about this cake is that you can use up avocados that are about to spoil. Avocados are notorious for being unripe in the store…only to turn soggy very quickly when you aren’t looking. And considering that avocados aren’t that cheap I always feel like it’s a such a waste of money. This recipe is like banana bread for avocados!
To start this recipe you’ll need to cream together butter and sugar, then add in ripe avocado and lime zest and juice. The lime helps preserve the lovely green color of the avocados and adds a citrusy flavor to this loaf cake. Add in 2 eggs and some vanilla extract as well.
Next add in buttermilk. This not only adds to the zesty flavor, but helps the texture of the cake to be light since baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand simply make your own substitute by combining 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of whole milk. Or in this case you can use lime juice instead of vinegar. Sift together the dry ingredients and then add half the dry mix to the wet, stirring between each addition.
To bake this cake you’ll need a standard 8″x4″ loaf pan, greased and lined with parchment paper. Leave a little extra parchment on the sides so that you can easily lift the cake out after it’s done baking (it needs to cool before frosting). The frosting for this cake is also filled with avocado and lime, with a hit of sweetness that just finishes the cake off so nicely.
When you feel like a special treat (or if you have some avocados that need using) then this recipe is a perfect way to have your avocados and eat them, too.
Avocado Lime Cake
Allergens: Gluten
Diet: Vegetarian
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Zest and juice of one lime
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and mashed
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
For the frosting:
- 1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and mashed
- zest of 1 lime, divided
- juice of 1/2 a lime
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add lime juice, zest, and mashed avocado. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl sift together dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients in two parts, stirring after each addition. Stir in buttermilk until uniform in color.
- Pour batter into a greased 8”x4” loaf pan lined with parchment paper (overhang slightly on the sides for easy removal). Smooth top so it is level. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover with foil halfway through baking to avoid over-browning.
- Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes before attempting to remove from pan. Once out, let it cool the rest of the way on a wire rack (at least 1 hour).
For the icing:
- Combine avocado, half of the lime zest, and lime juice. Cream the butter and then add the avocado mixture to the butter. Add in the sugar one tablespoon at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Spread icing over cooled cake and top with remaining lime zest. Slice and serve.