Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake

Red lentils star in this delicious chocolate cake. The coffee is a wonderful addition that gives the chocolate flavour extra boost while the lentils help keep the cake moist for days. Frost as desired, or dust lightly with icing sugar or dark cocoa and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Makes one 9” cake (double the recipe to make a layer cake)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ cup soft butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 oz (by weight) dark chocolate, melted and cooled

½ cup pureed red lentils (recipe below)

1 cup coffee, or milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the red lentils (see below) and let cool. Melt the chocolate and let cool.

Grease a 9” cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla followed by the eggs, one at time, mixing well after each addition. On low speed add in the melted chocolate and the pureed lentils. Mix well. Add the flour mixture alternately with the coffee in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

Transfer to the prepared pan and bake about 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing the cake to cool on a wire rack. Frost as desired or serve with a dusting of icing sugar or powdered cocoa and top with a dollop of Tia Maria Whipped Cream (see below)

Pureed Red Lentils

In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup rinsed split red lentils, 1 ½ cups water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer about 30 minutes. Lentils will be very soft and look like a puree. Transfer mixture to a fine mesh sieve and strain to remove any husks or hard bits. Measure out ½ cup for the cake. The remainder can be used in mashed potatoes or hummus.

Tia Maria Whipped Cream

Whisk together on high speed, 1 ½ cup 35% cream, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tbsp Tia Maria liqueur. Mix until medium stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to serve.