Dorothy Olsen of Provo is driving a new car, thanks to winning the $25,000 grand prize in Better Homes and Gardens magazine's Annual Recipe Challenge.
Olsen's recipe, Whole Wheat Chocolate Blueberry Cake, was chosen from more than 6,000 entries for the top prize. The cake was also the winner in the contest's "good and healthy" category.
Another Utahn, Erin Mylroie of Santa Clara, won $2,500 in the grilling category for her Vanilla Peach Pork Chops With Green Onion Slaw.
All of the winning recipes appear in the April issue of Better Homes and Gardens and on bhg.com.
Olsen said she thought of the idea of a blueberry and chocolate cake for about a year before actually trying to create it. When she saw the contest, she decided to try it.
"The judges said they thought it was so yummy and moist, and then they found out it was actually healthy," Olsen said in a telephone interview.
Her family bought a new car with the prize money. "We have three little boys, and we were crammed into a tiny car," she said.
Olsen, 29, grew up in Idaho Falls and earned a degree in music performance. She plays the cello with a local symphony and teaches private lessons.
"But I've always loved baking and cooking. I started making breakfast when I was in elementary school. My mom is a fabulous cook, but she's from Mississippi, and the more butter, the better. I weighed about 100 pounds in sixth grade, and I began to be more health conscious."
She enjoys altering desserts and other not-so-healthy recipes with nutritious ingredients such as whole grains. She even uses white beans as a fat substitute in frosting.
Olsen's advice to those entering recipe contests is: "Stick with what you love. My passion is for making not-so-healthy food healthier. I tried a different contest where most of the recipes that won had a cup of butter. That's not my strength."
Here's her winning recipe:
WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY CAKE
Prep: 35 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes
Cool: 1 hour
Cake:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 egg
Frosting:
1 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
Fresh blueberries for garnish, if desired
Blueberry sauce:
1/2 cup frozen light whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In blender combine water, blueberries, and the egg. Cover and blend until smooth. Add to flour mixture. Whisk until well combined. Pour into greased 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack. Invert onto serving platter.
For frosting: In small microwave-safe bowl combine dessert topping and chocolate pieces. Micro-cook, covered, on 50 percent power (medium) 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes. Pour onto cooled cake, spreading evenly.
For sauce: Mix topping and blueberries.
To serve: Cut cake into squares. Top with fresh blueberries and serve with Blueberry Sauce. Makes 9 servings.
Nutrition Facts: 230 calories, 6 grams total fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 24 mg cholesterol, 176 mg sodium, 45 mg carbohydrate, 31 grams sugar, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams protein; 3 percent of Vitamin C daily value; 8 percent iron daily value, and 4 percent calcium daily value.
e-mail: vphillips@desnews.com