Sugar-free diets are more popular than ever, but going without the sweet stuff doesn't have to mean giving up your favourite treats. Chef and food blogger Tess Ward shows how to make a sugar-free cake below. Her recipe? Chocolate cake with black beans and sugar-substitute, stevia.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Ingredients (to serve eight):
- 400g tin unseasoned black beans
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 80g salted butter
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp pure stevia
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Step 1: Prepare the mixture
Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a cake tin with a thin layer of butter. Dust cocoa all over the inside of the pan, tapping to evenly distribute. Cut a round of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan, then grease the parchment lightly.
Drain and rinse beans in a strainer or colander, wash them thoroughly and shake off excess water. Put the black beans in a food processor and blend. Crack in 3 eggs. Add the vanilla extract and stevia. Blend on a high setting until beans are completely pureed. Put to one side.
Pour the butter with the back of a spoon until it's creamy. Mix the honey into the butter. Add the baking powder, bicarb and the cocoa powder. Add the black bean mixture and stir well. Then add the last two eggs. press the chocolate mixture through a sieve into the cake tin. Put the cake in the preheated oven for about 40 - 45 minutes. The cake is done when the top springs back if you press on it. Take it out of the oven, let the cake cool down.
Step 2: Prepare the icing
Put 125g of chopped up butter in a bowl. Add 1/4 of a cup of cocoa powder, 1/3 of a cup of honey and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Blend and use the spatula to smooth it. Then ice the cake.
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