Dessert: Caribbean Spice Cake

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Caribbean Spice Cake

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 large butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup tamarind nectar
Mango Compote with Cilantro-Mint Syrup
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 °. Scoop out squash seeds; discard or reserve for another use. Place squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 40 minutes or until squash is tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp. Process squash pulp in a food processor until smooth. Turn oven down to 375 °. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper.
Combine flour and next 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat 1 minute. Add tamarind nectar and 1 1/3 cups butternut squash puree; beat until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake at 375 ° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
While cake is baking, prepare Mango Compote. Beat yogurt and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.
Cut cake into squares. Cut each square into two triangles, and top with yogurt sauce. Serve with Mango Compote with Cilantro-Mint Syrup.