Description
This single layer Avocado Chocolate Cake with Strawberries is a rich and elegant experience made more interesting by the unexpected luxury of ripe and buttery California Grown avocados. Smooth and creamy avocado replaces the butter and eggs in the dark chocolate cake, making for an ultra moist and decadent base. Then, ripe avocado shows up again, swapping in for the butter in the luscious, honey sweetened, creamy and supremely fudgy dark chocolate frosting. The neutral flavor of the avocado blends seamlessly with the deep cocoa and coffee notes. In a welcome contrast, jammy, sweet seasonal strawberries crown the top of this uniquely sophisticated yet simple cake.
Ingredients
Avocado Chocolate Cake
2 ounces bittersweet or dark baking chocolate - at least 60% cocoa, chopped
1 cup very hot coffee, strongly brewed
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large ripe fresh California avocado, pitted and mashed until smooth - about 2/3 cup when mashed
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup avocado oil from California
1 teaspoon vanilla
Avocado Chocolate Frosting
1 large, ripe California avocado, about 1 cup when roughly chopped
1/2 cup honey from California
2 ounces bittersweet or dark baking chocolate - at least 60% cocoa, chopped
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Topping
3 cups California Grown strawberries
Instructions
Avocado Chocolate Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8" round cake pan by greasing or spraying with baker's spray.
Pour the piping hot coffee over the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Allow it to sit for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder until fully mixed and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, smash the avocado until smooth and lump free. Whisk in the sugar, avocado oil and vanilla. Then whisk in the chocolate mix until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk until fully combined and smooth, careful to not over mix.
Pour the batter into prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
Place the cake pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing it from the pan and placing it directly on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Avocado Chocolate Frosting
Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Alternatively, melt in the microwave by heating for 30 seconds, then stirring the chocolate. Continue to heat in 10-15 second bursts, stirring between each until the chocolate is melted and smooth when stirred.
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until velvety smooth and creamy. The frosting should be thick, silky and slightly sturdy.
Assemble the Cake
Prepare your strawberries however you'd like. If your strawberries are large, you may want to halve or quarter them. I like to slice some in half and leave some whole with the greens for a pretty presentation but you do you here.
Once the cake has cooled completely, transfer it to a pretty plate or cake stand. Dollop the Chocolate Avocado Frosting onto the center and use a small spatula or an offset spatula to spread it evenly towards the edges, using a swirling motion to create swoopy swirls.
Top and surround the cake with strawberries however you see fit. Then slice, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Use large California grown avocados to maximize that buttery depth of flavor.
Store this Avocado Chocolate Cake with Strawberries in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap for 3-4 days.
Feel free to swap the strawberries for any seasonal fruit. Mixed berries, sliced apricots or even mandarin segments would be lovely here.