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Kai's Bravo Chocolate Cake

Nutrient-dense and naturally gluten-free, this rich chocolate cake gets its structure from cooked beans instead of flour — a trick you'd never guess from the taste. A creamy avocado-cacao frosting finishes it off. High-fiber cake has never tasted like this much of a treat.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 1½ cups (1 can) cooked beans, drained and rinsed (black, red, or chickpea)
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds, soaked in 3 tablespoons water
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • ½ cup almond meal
  • ½ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon tangerine or orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons tangerine or orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
  • 2 medium avocados
  • ½ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ¾ cup raw cacao powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch of salt, optional

Equipment

  • 9-inch cake pan
  • Food processor
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Rubber spatula
  • Cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan with coconut oil.
  2. Let chia seeds sit in water a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Combine all cake ingredients, including the chia mixture, in a food processor and blend until smooth (batter will be thick). Spread into the pan and bake 25–30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
  4. Blend all frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread over the cooled cake.
  5. Decorate with pecans, macadamia nuts, or walnuts, if desired.

Notes

Contributor Kai Bravo is favorite guest chef at the Saladmaster Foodture Cooking School. Visit her website to learn more about her book and film projects at www.kaisgarden.com.