Lemon Pound Cake

If I serve you a piece of cake in my house lately, chances are I’ve been experimenting with beans. Yes, beans! I’ve found that they are a delicious and healthy substitute for the fat in baked products. I’m sure you have heard of black bean brownies but maybe baking with chick peas is not something you have heard of. I wouldn’t have considered it until my friend, Jennifer Witt shared a recipe she was going to try that had chick peas in it. Last week I made a chocolate cake from mix and just replaced the oil with black beans. Before that cake was out of the oven, I had already planned on trying a lemon pound cake using chick peas. It was worth the hype I had in my head all week! One of the first cakes I ever made was a lemon pound cake. Our neighbors husband had passed away and my mom talked me through making a lemon pound cake to take to his family. I must have been about 12. They loved my cake and there began my love of baking. I have taken that simple pound cake recipe and switched it around a bit to make it a little healthier. I hope you enjoy this recipe and you will give baking with beans a try!

Lemon Pound Cake

Serves 16 @ 4SP per serving

1 Pillsbury Sugar Free Yellow Cake Mix

1 can of chick peas drained , rinsed and puréed

1 small box sugar free lemon pudding mix

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon of oil

1&1/4 cups water

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of oil

Lemon flavoring or True Lemon Crystals (optional )

Mix wet ingredients until well blended and slowly add dry ingredients. Spray a tube pan liberally and pour batter evenly in pan. Tap the pan on the counter gently to level the batter.

Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Test with a toothpick. This cake does not brown. I think it would dry out if you cooked it until golden. The toothpick test is best for determining if it is done.

Let cake cool on a wire rack 10 minutes before inverting to a cake plate.

Cool cake completely before adding icing.

Icing

1/2 can Pillsbury Sugar Free Vanilla frosting (microwave 20 seconds to soften)

Juice of one lemon

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Mix lemon juice and zest with the canned icing. Spoon over the cake staying in the center and let it drip over the sides.

Hope you enjoy!