Chocolate Avocado Cake with Chocolate Avocado “Butter” cream

If you’re an avid baker, then no doubt you have heard of or even tried adding pureed fruit to a product as a fat substitute. I first heard of doing this years ago when I saw a muffin recipe that called for applesauce instead of oil. I never actually tried it, and to be honest I never had a desire to. More and more often I read about pureed prunes, pumpkin and sweet potato kicking out the canola and making themselves at home in recipes. And to be honest again, still no urge.

Until I saw the recipe for this cake. It intrigued me right away because the photos I saw of it were so void of anything that gave it away as vegan. Pureed avocado replaces half of the oil, and you would never guest it! Not only is this cake as chocolaty and moist as a traditional recipe, the “buttercream” is even better than its original counterpart (at least in my opinion). Yes, the buttercream alone, packed with the generosity of two avocados, you might find yourself making to fill and frost any cake.

What I also love about this recipe is the use of a blender instead of a mixer—at least for the cake part. It is important that the avocado is pureed very smoothly, and the easiest way to achieve that is by adding half of the coffee-boiling water mixture. No need to add all of it, but you can if you want. Just make sure your blender has a very tight fitting lid, because it’s going to be runny.

When people tried this cake, one said it was “clean.” Another commented at how great the texture was for a vegan product. When making the icing, you may want to sift the confectioner’s sugar first, especially if it’s been around for a while. Lumps in icing can be very difficult to mix away and it will save you a huge hassle. Additionally, and this goes for the cake part also, use very ripe avocados. It‘s okay if they are a touch brown; soft avocados puree much easier. Also be sure to use a good quality blender that can puree the avocados very smoothly.

Even if you’re not a fan of this substitute-for-fat game (really, I still am not)—I urge you to give this one a shot. If you have a couple of avocados lying around that are nearing their end, what do you have to lose? Now should I say it? It may end up being your new favorite recipe for chocolate cake.

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Chocolate Avocado Cake with Chocolate Avocado “Butter” cream.

This vegan chocolate cake is so moist and rich and the frosting so smooth you won't believe it's made with avocados.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

Cake

• 2½ cups all purpose flour sifted
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 avocado very ripe
• ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee

Chocolate Avocado Buttercream

• 2 avocados very ripe
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder unsweetened
• 1½-2 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Boiling water if needed

Instructions

 

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.
• In a large bowl combine all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together well and set aside.
• In a blender container combine avocado, oil, white vinegar, vanilla, sugar and brown sugar. Into the boiling water, dissolve the instant coffee. Add half of this coffee mixture to the blender with the other ingredients and puree until smooth.
• Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the avocado mixture in. Add remaining boiling water & coffee mixture and stir with a spatula until just combined. Do not over mix.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan then transfer onto a rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Avocado Buttercream

• In a clean blender container, puree avocados. Add to a bowl and using an electric mixer, beat in cocoa powder and salt. The mixture should form a paste.
• Gradually add sugar until you reach your desired consistency and sweetness. Add a few teaspoons of boiling water if frosting becomes too thick. Add vanilla. Beat very well until smooth and creamy.

Keyword avocado, cake, chocolate