A wonderfully moist cake (partly because of baby-food prunes), it’s perfect all on its own—no icing required!

　　

Ingredients

Serves 24; 1 slice per serving

　　Cooking spray

　　2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dark preferred)

　　1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　3/4 cup water

　　2/3 cup fat-free milk

　　1 4-ounce jar pureed baby-food prunes

　　1/4 cup canola or corn oil

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　4 large egg whites

　　1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

　　1 3/4 cups sugar

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch cake pan or two 8- or 9-inch square cake pans with cooking spray. Line the pan(s) with wax paper or cooking parchment. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Make a well in the center.

　　

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the water, milk, prunes, oil, and vanilla. Pour into the well in the flour mixture, stirring until well combined. The batter will resemble a thick paste.

　　

Step 4

In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Increase the speed to medium. Gradually add the sugar, beating after each addition and gradually increasing the speed until the egg whites form soft peaks. Don’t overbeat. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan(s), gently smoothing the top(s).

　　

Step 5

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Turn out onto the cooling rack. Peel off the wax paper or cooking parchment. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

　　

Cook’s Tip on Cocoa Powder

Step 6

Made from roasted cocoa beans with most of the fat (cocoa butter) removed, unsweetened cocoa powder can substitute for solid chocolate in baking recipes. Use 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon of oil, such as canola or corn, for 1 ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate. You’ll cut the total fat by 50 to 75 percent. Cocoa powder has many other advantages. It costs less per ounce than baking chocolate and goes almost twice as far. It blends more easily than baking chocolate, reducing the chance of lumpy batters. If you store cocoa powder in a cool, dry place, it will keep almost indefinitely.

　　

Nutrition information

Step 7

(Per serving)

　　

Step 8

Calories: 140

　　

Step 9

Total fat: 2.5g

　　

Step 10

Saturated: 0.0g

　　

Step 11

Trans: 0.0g

　　

Step 12

Polyunsaturated: 0.5g

　　

Step 13

Monounsaturated: 1.5g

　　

Step 14

Cholesterol: 0mg

　　

Step 15

Sodium: 71mg

　　

Step 16

Carbohydrates: 27g

　　

Step 17

Fiber: 1g

　　

Step 18

Sugars: 16g

　　

Step 19

Protein: 3g

　　

Step 20

Calcium: 47mg

　　

Step 21

Potassium: 114mg

　　

Dietary Exchanges

Step 22

2 other carbohydrate

　　

Step 23

1/2 fat

　　American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook, 4th Edition