We all love a treat, and this cake is just about as decedent as those, Black Bean Brownies I’m always raving about.

I see this as the perfect birthday party cake or holiday dessert. This recipe has been adapted from theholisticingredient.com. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup coconut sugar {If you’re on a low sugar diet, you can reduce to 1/2 – 3/4 cup}
  • 1 cup cacao powder
  • 3/4 cup raw beetroot, grated
  • 3/4 cup grass-fed  butter, melted, or coconut oil *I’ve even done a mix of both
  • 1/3 cup coconut milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon celtic or himalayan salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or the seeds of one vanilla pod

Preparation Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
  2. Liberally grease a spring-form pan with coconut oil, including the bottom and sides.
  3. Rinse your quinoa thoroughly. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil on your stove. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the covered saucepan on the stove, lid on, for a further 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it sit to cool.
  4. Combine coconut milk, eggs + vanilla in a blender. Add cooked quinoa (should be about 2 1/3 cups), butter or coconut oil, grated beetroot, coconut sugar, sea salt, baking powder, baking soda + cacao powder. Blend again until combined.
  5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a skewer is removed clean. Check the cake at 20 minutes to make sure the top isn’t burning. {If so, place a piece of baking paper over the top of the tray}.
  6. Remove cake from the oven and cool in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack.
  7. Last but not least, sprinkle the cake liberally with extra cocoa powder.

Extra Steps / Toppings

I made a whipped Coconut Milk Icing + topped with fresh strawberries. It’s all up to you.