Several years ago, I had a dinner guest with a gluten-free dietary requirement and it was my first time cooking for someone with that particular restriction. My real challenge for the meal was finding a dessert. I am a baker at heart and wondered what kind of decadent treat I could create without flour. A friend at work, who just happens to be an amazing cook and has a gluten free family diet, swore by a chocolate cake recipe made with black beans and without any processed sugar. While I was skeptical, I decided to give it a whirl and was astonished at the results. It was delicious.
After my first experiment with the dessert, it was time to get more adventurous with the recipe.
The original recipe called for a single layer 9″ round cake dusted with powdered sugar. While that tasted pretty good, I tend to prefer my desserts a bit richer. For my next attempt, I split the batter between two 6″ rounds and added a thick layer of raspberry preserves between the cooled layers. A coating of glossy dark ganache and bingo, I had the magic I was seeking! All that was missing was a cold scoop of good vanilla bean ice cream.
This is now my go-to chocolate cake–and not just for gluten free enjoyment. Loaded with protein, no flour, and no processed sugar (other than whatever is used for the filling and frosting), this cake is easy to make and incredibly delicious.
I can imagine infinite variations and will continue to experiment. Your friends and family will never guess the main ingredient!
A link to the full recipe is provided below.
You can bake this for me next time you visit!