Fudgy Chocolate Cake (Dairy & Gluten Free)
This cake has a peculiar origin story. It started with aubergines—I’ve been cooking with them a lot lately, and while chopping some up, I wondered if you could bake with them. They release so much water when baked, surely they’d make a moist cake? Granted, they’re not sweet like bananas and can be slightly bitter, but I thought that bitterness could pair well with cocoa. Inspired by Nigella Lawson’s chocolate olive oil cake, I developed a recipe that’s also gluten- and dairy-free. And what’s a chocolate cake without icing? I revisited avocado-based icing, which I tried years ago, and it was perfect for this cake. The result is a fudgy, smooth cake that’s not too rich or dense. I know one ingredient might raise eyebrows, but my response is: live a little and try it!
Serves 10
Hands-on Time 30 minutes (plus cooling)
Cooking Time 50 minutes
Baking Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
2 medium aubergines
100ml plus extra for greasing olive oil
200g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
200g ground almonds
50g plus 2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/8 tsp plus a pinch fine salt
1 ripe avocado
Up to 100g icing sugar
Handful shelled and chopped pistachios (optional)
Equipment
Fork
Roasting tray
Scissors
Baking parchment
20cm cake tin (springform or fixed bottom)
Knife
Food processor
Spatula
Wire rack
Freestanding mixer or mixing bowl and electric whisk
Method
1. Prepare the Aubergines
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (fan)/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Prick the aubergines all over with a fork and place them on a roasting tray.
Bake for 50 minutes. Let them cool until easy to handle.
Line the Cake Tin
Cut a disc and strips of baking parchment to line the bottom and sides of the cake tin.
Grease the tin with olive oil before lining.
2. Make the Cake Batter
Remove the skin from the cooled aubergines and gently squeeze out excess water.
Add the flesh (approx. 250g) to a food processor and blend for 30 seconds.
Add 100ml of olive oil and blend for another 30 seconds.
Add the sugar and blend, followed by the eggs, blending after each addition.
Add the ground almonds, 50g of cocoa powder, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Blend again.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the mixture one final pulse.
3. Bake the Cake
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and level the top with a spatula.
Tap the tin on the worktop to remove air bubbles.
Bake on the middle shelf for 45 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Make the Avocado Icing
Halve the avocado, remove the stone, and scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl. Weigh it and note the weight.
Beat the avocado with an electric whisk until creamy.
Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, and half the avocado’s weight in icing sugar. Beat until smooth and fudgy.
5. Decorate and Serve
Spread the icing over the cooled cake.
Scatter with chopped pistachios, if desired.
Enjoy!
