Chocolate Avocado Cake (w/coconut creme frosting [original recipe])

I decided to do a trial run cake for Squiggle's party last month. Honestly, that was only an excuse to make and eat some cake now. I wanted some. I've had my eye on a chocolate-avocado cake for a while, and I am a curious sort of person. I am all about some fresh avocado on a taco, burger, etc... but it's not really something I pair with a dessert in my mind. Of course, after learning you really could mix it with chocolate and not taste avocado, I was sold. I reeeeeeally wanted to try out the cake, now! It's a vegan cake recipe, so I was even more intrigued.

While I won't be using this for the birthday party, I will totally be making this cake again. I really liked it! It is not a fluffy, light cake (what do you expect? NO EGGS!), but rather a yummy, heavier cake. It was dense, but not ridiculously so. All in all, if you're one of those people that doesn't mind a cake not super fluffy, you should really try it out! Easy to make, and very good!

I didn't use the recipe for the frosting, as my last avocado that was very ripe was actually bad when I cut it open. Bugger. I opened a less-ripe one and it was not ripe enough, so I just made it into pudding for the kids since Bobble has been begging for more of it since I made it a week or two ago. (That's a good sign, right?) Instead, for frosting, I busted out a can of Trader Joe's coconut cream, grabbed some powdered sugar and cocoa baking powder, and whipped with the whisk attachment. It really just fluffed up like whipped cream, and that won't work for what I wanted, so I grabbed a thing of cream cheese (greek yogurt cream cheese, actually) and threw that in, too. It got thicker, but not like you would expect for frosting. I frosted the cake anyway, threw it in the fridge, and knew it would be good for morning once the frosting chilled a bit. It was.

Thoughts Of Fluff's (Vegan) Coconut Creme Frosting:

• 1 can Coconut Cream
• 3 T. Powdered sugar (add more until you reach your desired sweetness)
• 2 T. Cocoa Baking Powder (can also add more to taste)
• * 1 pkg. Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese - OPTIONAL ... obviously the recipe won't be vegan anymore if you add cream cheese

Directions:

1. Blend all together with a whisk attachment until fluffy. 
2. Chill before using to allow to thicken or frost cake and chill cake to allow frosting to thicken.

I had some for breakfast (cake, not just frosting) and it was soooo yummy! Bobble wanted more, too. Hubby didn't know why it was so dense, and was afraid to comment on it at first. He said it reminded him of pound cake... that it was good, but he just didn't realize it would be dense. I explained there is just avocado and no egg, and he was surprised. It really was impossible to taste! He also didn't believe me when I said the cake was vegan. He had, however, suggested a different recipe for the party, and I agree, as most people expect a fluffy cake.

Don't be fooled... although it's a denser cake, it's still moist. :) I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and I also only had 2/3 a cup of caster sugar (super fine sugar). I ended up measuring out regular sugar and using the handblender on it for a bit to make it a bit smaller.

I poured my batter into two round cake tins. One had a bit more batter than the other, so I figured one would be done quicker. I was right, but so glad I opted to check my cakes early. I set the timer for 40 minutes, as that was the minimum bake time listed (and you're all probably aware by now my oven likes to be super crazy), and the first cake was done after TWENTY MINUTES. The second cake was done after 30 minutes. Not sure if it's my oven, or what.

And for the record: my husband had gotten this cake out of the fridge 3 times the next morning.... before 11am.

 Recipe converted by Thoughts Of Fluff

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Avocado Chocolate Icing
Cake recipe from Joy the Baker
Avocado Chocolate Icing adapted from Paleo Spirit

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 3 cups plain flour 
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 
• 1/2 cup well mashed avocado 
• 2 cups water 
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 2 cups caster sugar

For the Icing:

• 1 very ripe avocado 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 3/4 cups icing sugar

Instructions For the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper. (I used two 8" round cake pans).
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Whisk together the oil, mashed avocado, water, vinegar and vanilla extract, followed by the caster sugar.
4. Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together, whisking until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tins.
6. Bake for 40 minutes to an hour, or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cake rack to cool completely.

For the Icing:

• Place the avocado flesh, cocoa powder and icing sugar in a food processor and whizz to combine. Add a tablespoon of water if necessary to achieve a spreadable consistency. Spread the icing over the top and sides of the cold cakes in a swirly fashion.

Makes 2 x 8" cakes.

 

Disclaimer: Thoughts of Fluff was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. The coconut creme frosting is a Thoughts of Fluff original recipe, the latter recipe was converted to U.S. measurements and to Fahrenheit by Thoughts Of Fluff. Post contains affiliate links.