Black Bean Chocolate Cake
Black Bean Chocolate Cake is a gluten-free, rich dessert made with pureed black beans, cocoa powder, eggs, and sugar. The beans create a moist texture while enhancing the cake's fudgy flavor. Baked at 350°F, it's topped with chocolate chips or frosting, offering a decadent treat without flour.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 can 15 oz of black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey depending on your preference
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips optional but recommended for extra richness
For the frosting:
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or you can use whipped cream cheese for a richer frosting
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat and Prepare
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with coconut oil or line it with parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
Blend the Black Beans
- In a food processor, combine the black beans, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil. Process until the mixture is completely smooth. You want the texture to be thick, almost like a batter, but smooth without any chunks of beans.
Add Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, mix the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients in the food processor and pulse until everything is evenly combined.
Fold in Chocolate Chips (Optional)
- If you’re using chocolate chips, fold them into the batter by hand using a spatula. This will give you pockets of melty chocolate throughout the cake.
Bake the Cake
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Since ovens vary, I recommend checking at the 30-minute mark.
Cool and Frost
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting by mixing Greek yogurt, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
- Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top. You can also sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top for decoration if desired.
Notes
I love how versatile this recipe is. You can easily swap out the coconut oil for butter, or the maple syrup for honey if that’s what you have on hand. You could even add in a handful of chopped nuts, like walnuts or almonds, for an extra crunch.
If you’re looking for a richer, fudgier texture, you could double the amount of chocolate chips, or drizzle the cake with melted chocolate once it’s done baking. The possibilities are endless, and that’s what makes this cake so fun to make!