Thursday, January 6, 2011

Garbanzo Beans and Chocolate . . .

How's that for a festive desert? I made this Garbanzo Bean Chocolate cake for a gathering with my nieces and nephews during the recent holidays. They are an adventuresome crowd and eager for anything chocolate. We had a wonderful Indian dinner and then this Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake for desert. I didn't tell anyone what was in the cake. You never know, the idea of beans and chocolate might not appeal and even be a turn off, especially to a younger audience.

Well, the cake was a huge success, and my nephew actually guessed exactly what was in the cake which really surprised me! It is a very easy cake to pull together. I thought it was best the day it was made and didn't hold up over time very well. I will make this again! I might use a smaller pan the next time to get a deeper cake. It has great potential.

Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used Scharffen Berger bittersweet chunks)
19 ounces of canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan with gluten free flour. I used a 9 inch spring form pan which worked well.

Melt chocolate over a double boiler.

Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add sugar and baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners of the bowl to make sure the chocolate is completely mixed. Pass the batter through a sieve to remove any bean shells and transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and removed from pan when completely cooled. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving, garnish with freshly whipped whipping cream and berries if desired. Enjoy!

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