Vegan Chocolate and Avocado Cake

Now I know it might sound weird to put avocado in a cake, but I assure you there is certainly nothing weird about this cake. I have to admit, when I was first encouraged to try a chocolate avocado cake I was sceptical but my preconceptions were quickly diluted as soon as I took my first bite. In actual fact, that cake also had beetroot and wasn’t only vegan friendly but also paleo. So this one here is mildly ambitious in comparison.

Avocado is one of the best, most tastiest substitutes for butter. You can’t even taste it in this recipe but its creamy texture provides an eerily similar enhancement to the cake that butter otherwise would. And when combined with hazelnuts and chocolate it is oh so scrumptious.

When I told my mum that I was going to make a chocolate avocado cake, she scrunched her nose and said ‘When I said I wanted cake, I meant cake – not some healthy version of a cake.’ But the Leo in me, told me to ignore her hesitancies and persevere, and may I say, thank goodness for my stubbornness! She devoured the mammoth slice I cut her and her praise was most definitely flattering. So, I managed to convert my mum, next to the test was my brother and grandma. And yep, safe to say, before I knew it half the cake was gone.

So not only is this cake healthy by my books (hello whole-wheat flour, hazelnuts, avocado and cacao), but it is also incredibly delectable. It has a beautifully moist and tender crumb but at the same time it has this incredible fluffiness. And for a cake with no eggs, it rises beautifully. You can most definitely make this cake as a layer cake, by dividing the mixture between two tins and filling it with a chocolate-avocado frosting – but by no means should you feel you have to jazz it up as it is exquisite in its own right.

Thank you to the incredible Tina Jeffers for this recipe from http://www.scalingbackblog.com/sweet-treats/chocolate-hazelnut-avocado-cake/

For the Cake:

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 cup hazelnut meal

6 tablespoons unsweetened cacao

½ tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups granulated sugar

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup soft avocado, mashed (about 1 medium avocado)

2 cups water

2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Butter and flour one 24cm diameter round cake tin. Set aside.

Sift together all the dry ingredients, except for the sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the avocado and mix on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining wet ingredients and the sugar and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

Pour the batter into the cake tin. Bake for 60 – 70 minutes. When a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean the cake is ready. You may have to put some baking paper over the cake during the cooking time to prevent over browning. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack if you are icing the cake.

Optional Frosting:

1 large ripe avocado, peeled and seeded

½ cup unsweetened cacao

1 ¼ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

In a stand mixer whip the avocado until it forms a smooth mixture. In a medium bowl sift the cacao and powdered sugar together. Add to the avocado along with the salt and vanilla and whip until you get a smooth frosting.