I will admit that I can be fairly sceptical when it comes to trying to make vegan versions of classics. I am all for vegan food and free-from cooking, but why make vegan bacon or vegan eggs, what chemicals are used to get the flavours? I love a vegetable-heavy lunch or dinner, don't get me wrong, so why can't we celebrate the true beautiful flavour of our produce!
The Avocado flavour does shine though in this cake and it goes so well with the chocolate. I found vegan friendly coco powder in my local supermarket and the flour can be replaced with a gluten free version for a further free-from moment.
Quantities below work for a three layer 6" (15cm) cake, (or two 9" (20cm) layers) cooking each layer for 25 mins, but the photo shows a loaf cake version that takes about an hour, at the same oven temperature. If making the loaf cake version, there is enough left for one 6" layer (we simply devoured this little layer after supper, as a bonus from the oven...)
This cake is a wonder! Its moist, chocolaty, rich, and is probably good for you - well, it have a whole avocado in it!
Ingredients. Makes three 6" Rounds. Or a Loaf and a bit. See above
Cake
1 large, Ripe Avocado
300g Light Muscovado Sugar
350g Plain Flour
50g Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
2tsp Baking Powder
400ml Unsweetened Soya Milk
150ml Vegetable Oil
2tsp Vanilla Extract
Icing
50g Ripe Avocado, mashed
50g Dairy-free Sunflower Spread
200g Icing Sugar
Sprinkles, or fresh raspberries to decorate
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degree / 140 Fan. Grease and line your pans as you feel fit
2. For the cake, put your avocado and sugar into your mixer and beat together until light and a little paler than they started, this could be a couple of minutes
3. Add the rest of the cake ingredients and mix together fully. The mixture should become velvety and lovely! Could be five minutes or so
4. Divide the mixture between your pans evenly and pop into the oven for 25 minutes, until well risen and a skewer comes out clean
If making one loaf, it can take up to an hour to cook
5. When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing form the tins to cool fully on a wire rack. They will be moist and soft and rather pliable
6. While the cakes are cooling, make the icing by first beating the avocado and spread together until smooth. Add the icing sugar slowly while continuously mixing on a low speed. At this stage you will possibly need to pass the mixture through a sieve, to get rid of avocado lumps, but its worth it
7. Return the mixture to the bowl and give a another jolly good beating, adding more icing sugar if the consistency is a little loose
8. When your cakes are fully cool, start to layer up with the icing and any other decorations you like, sprinkles, fresh fruit, gold leaf?
9. Sit back and enjoy your, almost, virtuous cake!
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