BLACK BEAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

A cake for that one time I stopped drawing because I was filling paper with weird shapes and not trees and the sun and the birds; for the novel I wrote when I was eight; for the most terrible nightmares of snakes and monsters (and for waking up from them on command); for the curliest hair; for not listening to my mum; for having thought for half a second that someone who undervalues invisibility could be a better version of me; a cake for master plans and for not having one; for making someone coffee without a reason, for things that happen in due course, for illusions, robots, badgers, business cards, birthday cards, ellipses.

A cake for James and me.

  

BLACK BEAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

120g (4.2oz) cooked black beans
50g (scant 1/2 cup) dates
85ml (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) melted coconut oil
40g (1/3 cup) ground flaxseed
40g (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

½ teaspoon salt
75ml (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) agave syrup

Icing:

60g (1/2 cup) dates

1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

60ml (1/4 cup) water

Truffles:

60g (1/2 cup) dates

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon chia seeds

Preheat the oven to 175°C (340°F) and lightly grease your cake tin(s). Place the beans, dates and coconut oil in a blender and process until they are combined into a smooth paste. In a bowl mix together ground flaxseed, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add the bean mixture and the agave syrup then mix until combined. Pour into the prepared tins and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool and move on to the icing and truffles for decoration.

To make the icing, place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until completely smooth, then place in the fridge to firm up slightly.

For the truffles, process together dates and cocoa powder until combined into a smooth and sticky paste, then fold in the chia seeds and roll into small balls. Coat some of them in more cocoa powder if you like.

When the cake layers have completely cooled, assemble the cake spreading the icing on the top of one layer, sandwich the second one on top, then spread more icing on the top and sides. Decorate with the truffles, feel proud of yourself and eat.

Notes: This recipe makes two 10 cm/4” mini cakes (which I sandwiched), as it was just us and no dancing badgers yet. However you can double the recipe (for the cake, but also icing and truffles) and adjust the cooking time to about 45 minutes if you want to make a 20cm one. 

Ricetta in italiano: