Avocado Cake with Raspberry Filling and Key Lime Buttercream Frosting

This moist Avocado Cake recipe uses Fresh California Avocado in place of some of the butter or shortening used in a traditional buttermilk cake. With a raspberry filling and topped with creamy Key lime buttercream frosting it’s simply delicious!

Prep: 1 hr | Bake: 25 min | Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

Cake

• Baking spray, as needed
• 2 1/10 cups sifted cake flour (sifted before measuring)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 ripe, Fresh California Avocado*, seeded, peeled, and pureed in a food processor or blender until smooth
• 2 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cups raspberry jam, for filling

Frosting

• 1/2 ripe, Fresh California Avocado, seeded and peeled
• 3 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon Key lime (or regular lime) zest
• 2 tablespoons Key lime (or regular lime) juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk, or more as needed to thin

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper, and then spray the parchment with baking spray. Set aside.

Cake

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the pureed avocado and the butter with the sugar until completely combined.
3. Beat in vanilla extract.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. With the mixer on low speed, beat in all of the buttermilk until just combined.
6. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing each addition until just combined.
7. Once all flour is incorporated, increase mixing speed to medium and beat for 20 seconds longer. Be careful to not over-mix.
8. Divide batter among the two prepared cake pans.
9. Bake until golden on top and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
10. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 10 minutes before inverting, removing parchment paper, and cooling completely.
11. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.

Frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the pureed avocado with the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
2. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioner’s sugar. Once all the sugar is incorporated, add the lime juice and the vanilla extract.
3. Add milk, as needed until frosting is light and fluffy. Increase mixing speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. If frosting is too thin, add a bit more confectioner’s sugar, if too thick adjust by adding a bit more milk.
4. Place one of the cakes on a plate or platter.
5. Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the surface.
6. Place remaining cake on top.
7. Spread or pipe top and sides of cake with buttercream.

Notes

* Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.

Serving Suggestion: For the tall 3 layer cake (pictured) 1 1/2 cake recipes and a single recipe of buttercream was used. An open star decorating tip (such as a Wilton 199) was used to create the whimsical frosting design.

Beverage pairing: Delicious with a glass of milk.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: California Avocado Board
Recipe by: Chris Scheuer Chris Scheuer, Café Sucre Farine