Recipes for Dessert Made with Vegetables

If you have resolved to serve more vegetables to yourself and your family, one way to do so is by sneaking them into innocent-looking desserts and baked treats. You may have enjoyed zucchini bread, for example, and have most certainly sampled a rich, frosted carrot cake or a spicy and sweet pumpkin pie. There are other recipes for dessert made with vegetables, as well. Here are a few to get you started.

Sweet Potato Cake

Are you a fan of pumpkin goodies? Then you will love this moist and spicy cake that starts with a boxed cake mix.

Ingredients
8 medium sweet potatoes or 4 6-oz jars of sweet potato baby food
1 (18-ounce) box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Bake or boil sweet potatoes, remove the skin and mash the pulp in a large mixing bowl. If using baby food, empty jars into large mixing bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into greased pans or muffin tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Top with your favorite frosting and chopped pecans, if desired.

Carrot Pie

Not all of these recipes for dessert made with vegetables taste like pumpkin, but carrot pie is a close second to pumpkin pie. This is a great option when you have a craving for fresh pumpkin pie but pumpkins are not in season.

Ingredients
6 medium carrots or 6-oz jars of carrot baby food
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Unbaked single pie crust (homemade or store bought)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F. Measure all ingredients except pie crust into a large mixing bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined, about two minutes. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350F and bake for 45 more minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

(Beet) Chocolate Cake

This cake is almost too good to make it into a list of recipes for dessert made with vegetables. If you do not tell your family and friends, no one will ever suspect that this moist, rich cake is anything but chocolate.

Ingredients
1 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 cups cooked beets, pureed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Soften butter or margarine. Cream together ¾ cup of the butter or margarine with the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Combine chocolate with remaining butter or margarine and melt in the microwave at 15-second intervals or in a double boiler. Allow to cool slightly and add to egg mixture. Add beets and vanilla and mix well. Combine remaining dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add to large bowl and mix well. Pour into greased cake pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar or top with your favorite frosting.

The next time your family is clamoring for something sweet, make it a little bit healthier using one of these delicious yet nutrient-packed recipes for dessert made with vegetables.