Healthier Dessert Options: Avocado Chocolate and Coffee Ganache Cake Inspired by Skinny Cow

My love affair with chocolate started at an early age.  Some of my earliest and happiest memories are of my grandma taking me to the ice cream shop and us sharing delicious chocolate ice cream and chocolate sundaes together. I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but I have a soft spot for chocolate and chocolate ice cream.  If it were up to me, I would have it all the time, but both my husband and I watch what we eat and are trying to teach the kids healthy eating habits. So, I don’t really have chocolate ice cream as often as I’d like to. That is why I am thrilled with the new Nestle Skinny Cow Ganache Ice Cream Cones available at Walmart stores.  These are low-fat and have only 160 calories of melt-in-your-mouth, soft as silk, creamy chocolate ganache ice cream.

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My husband and I enjoyed these along with fresh berries and some light whipped cream.  They were deliciously soft, smooth, and indulgent, and the best part was that they were not high in fat or calories, so we didn’t have to feel guilty afterward.

I have always believed that eating healthy is all about making healthier choices.  I don’t believe in dieting, and neither does my husband, but we are both very conscious of what we eat. When we indulge in something rich and delicious like chocolate, we still choose the healthiest options.

I have been feeling homesick these last few days. It’s the holidays after all, and this year we will not be able to make it home to Guatemala to see my parents, my brothers, and my friends. So to lift my spirits, I decided to make something delicious and decadent that we could all enjoy. The obvious choice was chocolate, but I wanted it to be healthy. I started off with a chocolate cake.

Tips for Making Boxed Cake Mix Healthier

For the cake, I used a regular chocolate cake mix but made a few modifications to make it healthier. Here are tips and tricks to make boxed cake healthier:

• Use egg whites instead of whole eggs. If a cake mix recipe calls for three eggs, use four egg whites instead. This will eliminate the yolk, which contains much of an egg’s fat.
• Substitute applesauce or nonfat plain yogurt for cooking oil.
• Spray your cake pan with nonfat cooking spray instead of using butter or oil.

Avocado Chocolate and Coffee Ganache Cake with Skinny Cow Ganache Ice Cream Cones

I frosted the cake with a healthy version of homemade ganache (recipe below) and decorated it with the Skinny Cow Ganache Ice Cream cones.  The result was a luscious chocolate cake with an awesome presentation.  I added some extra whipped cream to the ice cream cones and garnished them with a raspberry and some peppermint leaves. To put the ice cream cones on the cake, I simply used some ganache frosting.

Everyone loved the cake, and my kids had no clue that there were applesauce and avocado in it.  Which was spectacular! We did have to eat the Skinny Cow Ganache Ice Cream cones first, before they melted.  This dessert really satisfied my chocolate craving, and now I am not feeling so blue.  Chocolate just has that wonderful effect; it lifts your spirits, and after this ultimate indulgence, I was feeling happy and looking forward to Christmas, when we will be sharing with the grandparents via Skype.

So, What is Ganache Anyway?

Ganache is a silky, soft chocolate dessert used for glazes, icing, and to make truffles. Created in the 1800s in France (some say Switzerland), ganache is made by mixing melted chocolate and cream. The basic ratio for making ganache is two parts chocolate (usually semisweet/bittersweet) to one part cream. It creates a very smooth, glossy glaze with a luxurious and smooth texture. For this recipe, I tried to reproduce the creamy, smooth texture of the ganache, but I substituted heavy cream with a much healthier option: avocados. If you’ve never used avocados to make a dessert, you do not know what you are missing!

The Nestle Skinny Cow Ganache Ice Cream Cones will be available at Walmart stores starting on December 17th. This is the perfect healthy choice when you want to indulge in a delicious chocolate frozen treat, and they are perfect for the holidays.

You can visit SkinnyCow.com to find out more about this luscious new skinny cow product and where you can learn more about their great promotions.  Connect with the Skinny Cow on Facebook and follow Skinny Cow on twitter and instagram to stay up to date with their latest news and learn about their other limited edition frozen treats.

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Chocolate Avocado Ganache

Yield: 3 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A silky ganache made with avocado, raw cocoa, and a splash of coffee liquor. Use it to frost cakes or cupcakes.

5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)

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Ingredients

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• 2 small Hass avocados, room temperature
• 3/4 cup agave
• 3/4 cup coconut oil, melt over hot water bath
• 1 cup raw cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of coffee liquor, I used Kahlua

Instructions

1. In a blender, mix together the cocoa powder, coconut oil, agave, a pinch of salt.

2. Emulsify well.

3. Add the avocado and the coffee liquor and mix until smooth.

4. Use to frost cake or cupcakes.

Notes

It’s a rich frosting, so about 2 tablespoons per serving is realistic. That works out to about 20-24 cupcake servings or one cake.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

Nutritional values are estimates calculated using standard databases. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients and brands used.

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Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz

Paula Bendfeldt-Díaz is a Guatemalan travel writer, photographer, and founder of Growing Up Bilingual. After spending more than 15 years in the United States, she now lives in Guatemala and shares detailed travel guides, traditional Guatemalan recipes, and cultural insights based on a lifetime of firsthand experience.

Through her writing, Paula helps travelers discover Guatemala beyond the typical tourist route with practical advice, local recommendations, and authentic experiences that connect visitors with the country’s people, culture, and traditions.

Planning a trip to Guatemala? Paula offers personalized Guatemala itinerary planning and trip consultation services tailored to your interests, travel style, and budget. Contact her at [email protected] to learn more.

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