My Decadent Chocolate Birthday Cake

Chocolate Decadence Birthday Delight!

Peonies...my favorite flower and my new fixed lens! You like?

I celebrated my birthday in May with this fudgey rich chocolate cake.  I have been meaning to post this recipe for quite some time now.....four months to be exact!  So here you have it.

I found this recipe on a blog and was immediately interested when I saw it contained black beans.  I love recipes like that sort of trick you like that.  Added nutritional goodness without the cost of flavor!  Me likey!  You would have no idea this cake contains black beans when biting into the dense yet mousse-y chocolate goodness.  Y-U-M!  Oh, and did I mention it is vegan and gluten-free?

Densely Decadent Chocolate Birthday Cake
1 Cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Cup raw cashews, soaked overnight or 4-6 hours
1 Cup chocolate chips, melted but not hot
4 T virgin coconut oil
6 T honey
1 Cup Water
4 T coconut flour
6 T Cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Oil bottom and sides of a round spring form pan and dust with cocoa powder.

Melt coconut oil and chocolate chips in a saucepan until mixed well and warm (not hot).  Transfer mixture to high power blender with all other ingredients except for baking powder and cocoa powder and blend until smooth.  Add baking powder and cocoa powder last, mixing in first to avoid a dusty mess and blend well to incorporate.  (It took me quite some time to get my blender to smooth these ingredients.  Next time I may try my food processor instead)

Pour mixture into your pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.  Serve cold with whipped coconut topping or shaved chocolate.