This lovely recipe is based on the flourless cakes that have become so popular in high-end restaurants. (See my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe below!) It is rich, satisfying and doesn’t seem like a substitute cake at all. It’s become my family’s favorite birthday cake.
The main ingredient may surprise you.
Beans!
Here’s what you do:
Soak 2 cups dry of white beans overnight in double the amount of water.
Next day, rinse well and cook until tender.
(You might have a little more than 2 cups once they’ve been hydrated and cooked, but only use 2 cups.)
Cool to room temperature and add the following to a food processor and puree well:
- 2 cups cooked beans (use white for vanilla)
- 6 eggs
- 3/4 cup maple syrup or sucanat
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add:
- 1/4 cup slightly warm coconut oil (so that it is liquid)
- 1/3 cup sifted coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp Celtic salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
Puree again
Pour into spring form pan, lined with unbleached parchment paper, well oiled with butter or coconut oil.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes. I like to check to see if it’s done by inserting a toothpick into the middle. If it comes out mostly clean, it’s done.
(Cupcakes take about 20-22 minutes)
Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting
In a food processor add the following:
- 2 tsp raw honey (more, if you like a sweeter frosting)
- ½ cup almond butter
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 5 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 organic egg yolk (Be sure to wash the outside of the shell with hot soapy water) The addition of an egg yolk offers live enzymes and gives the frosting a little gloss
When the cake has fully cooled, smooth on the frosting. Keep refrigerated.
Enjoy!
This sounds so good-I’ve make chocolate cakes with garbanzo beans and they’ve turned out really well, too
Wow! That’s a first! Never heard of making cake with beans. Looks easy enough, though. Rich, satisfying & nutritious? I should know better when I’ve tried & verified it myself. Lots of deception reigns, even in recipes.
Sounds just delicious! Is there another name for white beans that I could find them under? x
Definitely, you can try cannellini, great northern, navy and garbanzo beans make great alternatives, too. If you choose to use black or red beans, go ahead and add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and you’ll have a chocolate cake.
is it really only 3/4 tsp maple syrup? not sure I could sell that as “cake” around here… maybe 3/4 C?
Yuck! ¾ teaspoon is not gong to cut it! It should really be 3/4 cup of maple syrup. Enjoy
i’ve done and enjoyed black bean brownies, so hope I could do this, too! 🙂
HONEY+ ALMOND BUTTER+ COCOA POWDER+ ORGANIC EGG YOLK
IS MADE A IDEAL COMBINATION FOR CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
CHOCOLATE BUTTER CREAM HAS THERAPEUTICS PROPERTIES AND HAS RICH NUTRIENTS has VITAL ROLE IN OURS BODY, MIND AND SOUL AND BOOSTS OURS IMMUNE SYSTEM ALSO BETTER ANTIOXIDANT AND VERY PLEASANT TASTING.
THIS IS AMAZING AMOUNT OF WORK WITH SURPRISING RECIPE HAS BEEN MADE SO NUTRITIOUS SO TASTY, TASTY Ooh La La!
very glad you enjoyed it, as I like to say, “Mangia!”
Mangia indeed!
Just a quick question:
to make this GAPS-friendly, could you replace the maple syrup with honey?
Also, I know that pure, aluminum-free baking soda is allowed on GAPS, but baking powder is not. Can you leave it out or is there an adjustment that can be made?
You could substitute the maple syrup with honey, however, once honey is heated too such a high degree, the enzymes are destroyed and we lose the nutritional punch it carries. You can certainly use it, it just want have the same nutritional value as it does when it’s raw. And yes, as long as you use baking soda instead of baking powder, the cake will turn out just fine. Bon Appetit!
What other flour would be a good substitute? I can’t get coconut flour around here. We’re going to try this for our little lady’s first birthday cake this weekend! Thanks!
There are several good gluten-free flour combinations available in most supermarkets or health food stores and I use them often. Almond flour is another good alternate. Happy Birthday to your little one!
Beans and coconut – two of my favourite ingredients – I’m definitely trying this. Thank you 🙂
Hi Joette, sounds good will try this, so far not many good gluten free recipes. Would you have a dairy free frosting recipe instead? My little one doesn’t do well with milk related products
I have used coconut oil, olive oil or more almond butter for frostings instead of butter, and they’re all delicious.
I have used coconut oil, olive oil or more almond butter for frostings instead of butter, and they’re all delicious.