Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

What are your favorite ways to sneak vegetables into desert?

44 replies

BrookeChook · 16/09/2025 07:14

Our whole family has a sweet tooth so I am constantly looking for low sugar treats that satisfy. Which is why I love cakes with vegetables as they are 'juicy', but also have fiber and an extra nutrient kick.

I recently made these soft cookie cakes with a chocolate frosting, that use zucchini to help keep each to a single serve size.

Any other ideas?

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc2AEj7utEk

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
EmpressaurusKitty · 16/09/2025 07:47

NoWordForFluffy · 16/09/2025 07:41

Love that your cat has a toy camel! 🥰

I was planning to give the camel to a charity shop but then she claimed him! She’s got a dragon as well.

What are your favorite ways to sneak vegetables into desert?
TragicMuse · 16/09/2025 07:48

You probably would enjoy Harry Eastwood’s book Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache - it’s all sweet things incorporating vegetables.

https://amzn.eu/d/3jrJKCY

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 16/09/2025 07:48

Are there restrictions which mean you need to sneak vegetables into the desert? Like vegetable police on the borders or something? Is it OK to take fruit in?

aLogLady · 16/09/2025 07:48

Haven’t made it in ages but this recipe is so good. similar world to your cookies I guess

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=www.maplespice.com/2009/07/chocolate-zucchini-bread.html%3Fm%3D1&q=EgQNKDFtGL-QpMYGIi0UxCVQ_GYI8cMo1Y1GtQo3o9oTpL_x7V5O7rVevZdMlejBA1Krb6nAQOFlKw4yAnJSWgFD" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.maplespice.com/2009/07/chocolate-zucchini-bread.html?m=1

EmpressaurusKitty · 16/09/2025 07:49

Tiredofwhataboutery · 16/09/2025 07:45

Not for health but I make a lovely courgette and lime cake which is super light. Carrot cake is a big favourite too. I don’t think they are healthy though. Lots of free apples at the moment so am making strudels and apple and cinnamon flapjacks.

Could you share the recipe for the courgette & lime cake?

Shinysunday · 16/09/2025 07:50

I think it would be healthier to develop a taste for savoury things, or serve fruit in delicious ways. Bananas with a little cream and brown sugar are wonderful. Pineapple is a dessert in itself.

EBearhug · 16/09/2025 08:14

Carrot cake is pretty standard, but can be very variable IME. often too much cinnamon for my taste.

I've made beetroot and chocolate cake from a Green & Black's recipe book - a good, moisture chocolate cake, you couldn't tell had beetroot in. I've also had courgette cake and pumpkin scones. Pumpkin pie is also quite common.

I also had bean porridge in Borneo - red beans of some sort, and one with a greyer bean, and another with yellow, but I don't actually know what sort of beans they were - I didn't cook them, and my Malay isn't more than a few words. They were quite sweet, though. Probably quite a few pulses could work.

Root vegetables tend to contain more sugar than other vegetables (there is sugar beetroot, for one thing,) though I've not had anything with parsnip, swede or turnip... actually, I could see mashed swede could work.

Pumpkin and courgettes are both cucurbitae, like melons, so perhaps they are a bit sweeter, too.

I think you need to think about:

  • texture - does it break down easily?
  • flavour - although beetroot is quite an earthy flavour and you don't taste that in a cake.
  • liquidity- will you need to squeeze out some liquid before adding the veg to the recipe, or add more flour or something to compensate?

I guess there could also be chemicals in some veg which could affect how well something like a cake rises, or could interact in unhelpful ways with other ingredients.

I've not seen anyone make a kale or cabbage cake, nor bell pepper (chocolate and chilli, though.) I suppose brassicas can have a tendency towards bitterness, so you might have to adjust for that.

Busybeemumm · 16/09/2025 08:19

EmpressaurusKitty · 16/09/2025 07:47

I was planning to give the camel to a charity shop but then she claimed him! She’s got a dragon as well.

Looking down on you as she chills with her dragonSmile
OP-the only vegetable in dessert is carrot cake. The beetroot cake sounds nice and could be ok in a red velvet type cake.

Hoppinggreen · 16/09/2025 08:21

There is just no need
Eat Dessert, eat fruit, eat both but not together.

Clockface222 · 16/09/2025 08:26

My Mum's recipe for beetroot and chocolate cake. It is really yummy and for beetroot haters you can't taste the beetroot at all. My Dad hates beetroot and even he will eat it.

18cm square tin - 170C
cooked for about 30-35 mins on baking sheet (so it gets cooked in middle) perhaps cover with greaseproof (butter paper?) towards end as It easily burns when nearly done. Timing depends on wetness of beetroot usually

250g plain chocolate (70%)
250g butter
250g sugar
3 eggs
150g self raising WHOLEMEAL flour
250g cooked grated beetroot

Mix melted chocolate and butter together. (I melt in bowl over hot simmering water you can presumably microwave)
In separate bowl whisk eggs and sugar together until creamy
Further bowl grate the beetroot
Fold all together to combine.
(my recipe includes 100g of walnuts but they're really not needed)

When cooked, leave until really quite cold so you can cut into slices for storage.😀

Tiredofwhataboutery · 16/09/2025 09:10

EmpressaurusKitty · 16/09/2025 07:49

Could you share the recipe for the courgette & lime cake?

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/courgette-lime-cake

I use this recipe roughly. I use ground almonds instead of pistachio and bake in round tins. Sandwich with roses lime marmalade and some cream cheese frosting then on top I dust with icing sugar and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Courgette & lime cake with the first slice cut away

Courgette & lime cake

Use up a glut of courgettes in this loaf cake. You won't taste them – mixing them into the batter creates a tender sponge that carries the lime flavour

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/courgette-lime-cake

gingercat02 · 16/09/2025 09:52

On a camel

Bananalanacake · 16/09/2025 14:57

Rhubarb is a vegetable, my dad used to grow it and my nan made a really good rhubarb crumble, so that's a vegetable as a dessert.

Cinaferna · 16/09/2025 15:00

Mums at school used to make chocolate brownies with beetroot or courgette in them. DC ate them. I made carrot cake sometimes which they liked. I prefer sneaking veg into savoury dishes - lots of pureed veg in home made burgers or meat patties, or in 'tomato' based pasta dishes that are actually full of peppers, mushrooms, courgettes and onions. Spinach in spaghetti bol.

harriethoyle · 16/09/2025 15:01

Cucumber water is very hydrating if you’re in a desert, or so I understand.

tartyflette · 11/01/2026 14:50

Tiredofwhataboutery · 16/09/2025 09:10

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/courgette-lime-cake

I use this recipe roughly. I use ground almonds instead of pistachio and bake in round tins. Sandwich with roses lime marmalade and some cream cheese frosting then on top I dust with icing sugar and a squeeze of fresh lime.

I use up a glut of courgettes (especially the giant ones you find hiding under a leaf on the plant) in courgette and chocolate chip loaf cakes. I make two at a time, they freeze very well.

Elbowpatch · 14/01/2026 21:59

If you dip Brussels sprouts in chocolate they can pass as Ferrero Rocher.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page