I made this cake with a banana instead of butter and it was so good!

Secret Ingredient Healthy Chocolate Cake

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This gluten-free chocolate cake is so decadent and moist, you’ll never guess its secret ingredient – black beans! The key to making a sugar-free cake taste good is to use a blend of sugar-free sweeteners (stevia, Splenda, Truvia, erythritol, etc.). You can also use honey in place of the sugar-free sweeteners, if you like. Just taste make sure the batter is sweet enough before you bake it!

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Ingredients

1. One 15 ounce can (or 15 ounces, cooked) unseasoned black beans
2. OR 1 1/2 cup cooked beans, any color (navy beans, kidney beans, etc)
3. 5 large eggs
4. 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
5. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6. 6 tablespoons unsalted organic butter OR 5 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil
7. 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons honeyOR Truvia*
8. 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
9. 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius).
2. Spray a 9″ cake pan with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray, or just grease it with a thin layer of butter.
3. Dust cocoa all over the inside of the pan, tapping to evenly distribute.
4. Cut a round of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan, then grease the parchment lightly.
5. Alternatively, you can make cupcakes. If you’d like to bake the batter as cupcakes, line 16 cupcake tins with paper liners.
6. Drain and rinse beans in a strainer or colander. Shake off excess water.
7. Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, stevia (if using) and salt into blender.
8. Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied. No lumps!
9. Whisk together cocoa powder and baking powder.
10. In a bowl, use a mixer to cream the butter with sweetener (erythritol or honey) until light and fluffy.
11. Mix in the two remaining eggs, beating for a minute after each addition.
12. Beat the bean mixture the rest of the batter.
13. Finally, stir in cocoa powder and water (if using), and beat the batter on high for one minute, until smooth.
14. Scrape batter into pan and smooth the top.
15. Grip pan firmly by the edges and rap it on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.
16. If you are baking the cake as a single round layer, bake for 40-45 minutes. If you are baking the batter as cupcakes, bake for 35 minutes. Cake is done when the top springs back when you press on it.
17. Remove cake to a cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes.
18. Turn out cake from pan, and flip over again on to cooling rack.
19. Let cake cool until it reaches room temperature, then cover in plastic wrap. For BEST flavor, let cake sit overnight!
20. If you are stacking this cake, level top with a long serrated knife, shaving off layers until the cake round is flat and even.
21. Store cake or cupcakes in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture, warm the cake to room temperature before serving.

Notes

1. *You can use a blend of Erythritol and stevia in place of Truvia. Use 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons of erythritol, and 2 teaspoons of pure stevia extract (I like Trader Joe’s brand). Experiment with various combinations of sugar-free sweeteners, if you like. Be sure to combine multiple sugar-free sweeteners for the best taste!

By Lauren Benning

Adapted from Low Carb Friends forum