The Healthiest Chocolate Cake You've Ever Eaten + Healthy Chocolate Frosting!

I am SO excited to share this recipe! I did not expect it to turn out so well. I hoped it would, but I wasn't certain. I was pretty much a nervous wreck while this was in the oven and while it was cooling.

I honestly don't think I have ever made such a healthy dessert in my entire life! This is ridiculously healthy, and yet it tastes like your average chocolate cake (at least to me)! It's packed with protein, calcium, and iron from the quinoa, uses pureed beets instead of butter or oil, and is sweetened with fruit and pure tree sap! Oh, and it's also conveniently gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, and fat free. It just couldn't get any better than that, could it?!

I know some of you are probably questioning the whole beet thing, but trust me, you can't taste it at all.  They actually make the cake extremely moist. The cooked quinoa also adds a nice chewy texture to the cake.

That funny looking spot is a chocolate chip. :)

I have to say, I've never created my own recipe for a full on cake, and I kind of pulled out all of the little tips and tricks that I've learned about so far. I expected this cake to be dense and fudgy, but it wasn't and I could not be happier!! I wanted a "birthday-style" cake. One that had a nice crumb, yet moist and fluffy, not super dense, but not crumbly. Just a birthday cake, you know? Well, let me tell you, this cake certainly delivers!

Although I am not a huge chocolate lover, I will definitely be using this recipe for my upcoming birthdays. That is...until I create a vanilla cake (which is certainly on my to-do list).

Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list or directions, it's really not that hard to make at all. Of course, it takes longer than a boxed cake, but isn't it worth it? My answer is a resounding YES!!! I wouldn't pass up all of these incredibly essential nutrients for a boxed cake of chemicals and preservatives-NO WAY!!! :)

P.S. The pictures do this cake NO justice, whatsoever. I wish I was a professional photographer!

The Healthiest Chocolate Cake You’ve Ever Had

(gf, df, sf, high protein, fat free,)

Ingredients:

·      2 cups quinoa flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill; you could try any other type of flour)

·      ½ cup tapioca flour

·      1 cup cooked quinoa (1/2 cup uncooked)

·      ½ cup date sugar (coconut/palm sugar would work too)

·      ½ cup cocao (cocoa)

·      3 tsp. baking powder

·      1 tsp. baking soda

·      ½ tsp. Himalayan salt

·      ¾ cup cooked, pureed beet (1 smallish beet, skin on)

·      1 tsp. apple cider vinegar, plus enough milk to equal 1 cup (I used Rice Dreams Rice & Quinoa blend)

·      1 cup water

·      2 eggs

·      ¼ cup maple syrup

·      ½ tsp. vanilla

·      ½ cup chocolate chips (opt.; I used SunSpire)

Directions:

1.     In a fine mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa to get rid of the bitter coating. If you don’t have a mesh strainer, simply put the quinoa in a small saucepan with water and rub it between your fingers for several minutes, then drain the water out. (that’s what I did).  

2.     Add 1 cup of water to the quinoa and place on the stove. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, with cover on, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

3.     Wash and cut the beet into small chunks. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water. Let boil until the chunks are soft enough for a fork to slide through.

4.     Transfer chunks to a blender along with ¼ cup of the boiling water. Blend until smooth.

5.     While the quinoa and beets are cooking:

6.     Preheat the oven to 350.

7.     Measure 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar into a liquid measuring cup and add enough milk to create 1 cup. Do not stir. Set aside. (This will become your buttermilk.)

8.      Combine the flour, date sugar, cocao, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

9.     When the quinoa and beet puree is done, combine them along with the water, buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix well.

10. Gently stir the liquid ingredients into the dry. Careful not to over mix!

11. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

12. Spray a 13x9” square pan with cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan (two 9x9” round pans would probably work too).

13. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan half way through.

14. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 20 minutes.

15. Place a cookie sheet on top of the pan and flip over to take the cake out. Let sit upside down for a while (I did about 30 minutes). Then flip over again.

16. Frost with my Healthy Chocolate Frosting once the cake is cooled.

17. Enjoy!
Note: this is delicious with a drizzle of sunbutter, or any type of nutbutter.

                                 

Healthy Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

·      ½ ripe avocado*

·      ¼ cocao powder

·      ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

·      dash vanilla

Directions:

1.     Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

*This made enough frosting to cover the cake, but if you want a thicker layer of frosting use 1 whole avocado.

**This is also really good just as pudding! My mom used to make pudding very similar to this when I was younger!

This was shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesdays and Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love!