Oscars Party {Healthier} Desserts!

Our latest project for Lauren Conrad featured an Oscars Party in which guests wore their PJs with their finest jewelry and Oscar-worthy hairdo!  We had so much fun and our blog post featured activities, outfits, DIYs, swag bags, invitations, the printable collection, etc!  To see the full project on how to throw a “PJs +Pearls” Oscar Party (including appetizers & the famous popcorn bar) …  check out the SaucyPants blog!  

To see all the "winning" desserts ... Keep reading!!

The Dessert Table

We carried over our color palette to the dessert table, which we sprinkled with our Oscars Party Printables.  Desserts include skinny cupcakes, mini bundt cake dark chocolates, healthier organic macarons, healthier coconut cake, and an organic anti-inflammatory flourless dark chocolate cake. Let's dig in!!

Healthier Organic Macarons (naturally gluten-free)

Healthier Organic Macarons

(chocolate peanut butter recipe)

INGREDIENTS

• 5 organic egg whites, aged at room temperature for 24 hours
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 C Almond Flour
• 2.5 C confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 Cocoa Powder
• Organic, natural creamy peanut butter, for filling

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 200. Combine the powdered sugar and almond flour in a medium bowl. Beat the egg whites in the clean dry bowl of a stand mixer until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Sift one third of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold gently to combine. Add the cocoa powder. Sift in the remaining almond flour in two batches. Be gentle! Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients. The ingredients won’t seem like they are coming together at first, but they will. The final batter should “flow like magma.” Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip. You can also use a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off. It’s easiest to fill your bag if you stand it up in a tall glass and fold the top down before spooning in the batter. Pipe one-inch-sized (2.5 cm) mounds of batter onto baking sheets lined with nonstick liners or parchment paper.

Bake the macaroon for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and raise the temperature to 375. Once the oven is up to temperature, put the pans back in the oven and bake for an additional 7 to 8 minutes, or lightly colored.

Cool on a rack before filling with peanut butter.

Recipe inspiration from healthy-delicious.com

Skinny Cupcakes

Skinny Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• One Box moist-style cake mix 
• 1 C nonfat plain Greek yogurt OR 1 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

INSTRUCTIONS

Follow instructions on cake box and substitute oil and eggs with ingredients like applesauce or Greek yogurt ... Doing so will save you quite a bit of calories and fat grams!

Recipe inspiration from Brit & Co.

Healthier Fresh Coconut Cake

Healthier Fresh Coconut Cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon cake flour
• 12 ounces sifted cake flour (about 3 cups)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup warm coconut water (from 1 small brown coconut)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 large egg whites

Frosting:

• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups shaved fresh coconut, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS

To prepare the cake, preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly coat 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottom of pans with wax paper. Lightly coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with 1 tablespoon flour.

Combine 12 ounces (about 3 cups) flour, baking powder, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 1/2 minutes or until well blended. Add flour mixture and coconut water alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat 6 egg whites on high speed until foamy using clean, dry beaters. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Carefully fold egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Discard wax paper. Cool completely on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, combine 4 egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Combine remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 250°. With mixer on low speed, pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites. Gradually increase speed to high; beat 8 minutes or until thick and cool. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate, and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Repeat procedure with 1 cup frosting and remaining cake layer, ending with cake layer on top. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Gently press shaved coconut onto top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Recipe from Cookinglight.com & MyRecipes.com

Organic Anti-inflammatory Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

Organic Anti-inflammatory Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:

• 6 ounces dark chocolate, at least 70%
• 3 ounces butter
• 3 ounces almond butter
• 3 eggs, separated
• 6 tablespoons natural cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FRESH BERRY COMPOTE:

• 1 cup frozen raspberries, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons pure cane sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups fresh berries - blueberries, raspberries, blackberries

INSTRUCTIONS

Over a double boiler, melt chocolate, butter and almond butter. Let cool.Separate the egg and place the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 3 Tbs sugar and beat until a light, pale yellow color, about 6 minutes. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and mix until combined.In a clean mixing bowl, add the eggs whites. Whisk until frothy. Slowly pour in 3 Tbs sugar and mix until soft peaks form. Fold the whites into the chocolate/egg mixture. Carefully fold until combined.Spray 4 oz ramekin or muffin cups with pan spray. Pour the batter into the molds, almost to the top. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. Let cool before unmolding.

To serve: reheat at 300 degrees for 4 minutes. Spoon the fruit compote on top.

Recipe fromDrWeil.com, a True Food Kitchen favorite!

Organic Flourless Chocolate Cake

Mini Bundt Cake Dark Chocolates

Mini Bundt Cake Dark Chocolates

INGREDIENTS

• Dark Chocolate
• Mini Bundt cake candy or baking molds (I got mine at Target)

INSTRUCTIONS

Gently melt chocolate, stirring frequently, in a medium pot over medium-low heat, 1 to 2 minutes.  Pour into molds and chill in the refrigerator until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

It's not to0 late to grab the PJs and Pearls Oscar Party Collection!

Download our Oscars Party Printable Collection from the Shop or in our Etsy shop! Note, the collection is an INSTANT DOWNLOAD!