I confess… I’m not much of a cake fan. But after a visit to Chef Darin’s Kitchen Table, in Savannah, GA where he shared this recipe, this is one cake that I simply cannot resist, and neither will your guests. But don’t tell anyone…there’s no flour, it’s gluten-free, and the secret ingredient…chickpeas.
Gluten-Free Decadent Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
4 eggs, room temperature
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 T. cornstarch
¾ t. baking powder
¼ t. baking soda
½ t. kosher salt
Powder sugar for dusting (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut a circle out of parchment paper using your 9” cake pan as the guideline. Make sure it’s large enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Spray the pan with a baking spray. (Note: If you don’t have any spray, you can also dab a little bit of canola, avocado, or vegetable oil on a paper towel and wipe the bottom of the pan. Place the parchment paper in the pan and do the same thing; spray or wipe the parchment paper with oil.
Combine chickpeas, eggs, and vanilla in a food processor using the steel chopping blade. Continue processing until the mixture is pureed and there are no lumps. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until the cocoa and sugar are thoroughly mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the chickpea mixture and process until completely mixed.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the center comes out clean, approximately 25-35 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs. Check the cake at 25 minutes by inserting a toothpick until it comes out clean with only one or two crumbs. Set the cake on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Place a serving plate on top of the cake and turn it upside down, inverting onto the plate. Cool completely.
This is a decadent cake that is delicious on its own. However, raspberries, strawberries, and cherries are always a hit with chocolate. You can also use your favorite berry sauce such as Williams Sonoma Raspberry Sauce. And of course, old-fashioned vanilla ice cream is always a big hit.
Something to Remember
One of my favorite toppings is flavored (not too sweet) whipped cream. Ingredients are: 2 c. fresh whipping cream, 3 T. granulated sugar, 1 t. vanilla, and 2 T. of your choice; Grand Marnier, Framboise, Kahlua, or Baileys. Chill a medium-sized bowl and beaters in the freezer for 15 minutes. Combine all ingredients in the chilled bowl and beat on high until you have a luscious, whipped topping.
A final thought, instead of using a 9” round pan, you can use six (6) 3 or 4-inch individual cake pans. It makes for a fun presentation when entertaining. Just be sure to prepare the pans with parchment paper, same as the 9” pan.
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