Zoe and Ashley's birthdays are coming up, and Zoe asked me for a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. I decided to create a new cake recipe for their birthdays, using as few ingredients as possible, for as little money as possible. Also the cake had to be moist and delicious :-) A little research and a few tries later -it is so awesome. And the secret ingredient is -white beans. After eating Lauren's chocolate bean cake (from Healthy Indulgences), I was hungry for a vanilla version. However, the only white bean cake recipes I found included a cup of flour or a cup of pumpkin, so I had to come up with a totally new recipe, avoiding those ingredients. I am so excited with how mine came out. Our whole family and the neighborhood kids all gave it a big thumbs up. I really hope you try this simple recipe, and let us know if you do!
Vanilla Bean Cake:
Add to food processor:
2 cups cooked white beans, room temperature, so they don't cook the eggs (I made mine myself by soaking dry white beans overnight. In the morning I rinsed them well, and cooked them.)
6 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla creme liquid stevia (do not measure over the batter, just in case it spills out)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
Puree well.
Add:
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquified
1/3 cup coconut flour, sifted
1/2 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder (Grain-free Baking Powder Recipe)
Puree well.
Pour into springform pan, lined with unbleached parchment paper on the bottom, and greased all around.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes. (I like to check to see if it's done by inserting a knife into the middle. If it's comes out mostly clean, it's done.)
Frosting:
Melt over double boiler:
1.5 bars of 3.2 oz dark chocolate (about 3/4 cup of chocolate chips)
3/4 cup coconut milk
When the chocolate has just barely melted, remove from heat.
Add 2 tbsp coconut flour, sifted.
Refrigerate until the frosting has cooled, about 15 minutes. (You know it's ready when it is the texture of frosting.)
When the cake has cooled fully, top the cake with the frosting.
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60 comments:
This looks unbelievably delicious and moist and *nutritious.* Wow! Nice job! What was your girls' feedback?
Thanks -M!
Zoe and Ashley loved it, and they can't wait for me to make it for their birthday tea party, at our house. I'm going to make it a tier cake, and decorate it with flowers. We're all very excited. Zoe says it's going to look like a wedding cake, and she can't wait :-)
Ahhhh, you beat me too it! I was also planning on making a white bean cake! LOL Looks good. :-)
Wow, this looks amazing! I love the simplicity of the recipe. The chocolate frosting looks divine! I bet your girls were in vanilla cake heaven!
-Ali :)
This seems like a great recipe!
I've been wanting to add a bit more legumes to my diet (in small quantity) but in a more interesting way than usual the bean meals.
I recently baked some flourless bean brownies and would like to modify the recipe to make a flourless white bean bread (I'm not quite sure how it'll come out but gotta try!).
Kimi,
You should still make yours! I'd love to see it!
Ali,
Thanks so much! I'm such a big fan of yours!
Alchemille,
The brownies sound great! I can't wait to make more with this technique myself. White bean bread would be terrific.
Oh my goodness, that looks amazing! Did you get Great Northern, or Cannelini beans?
Holy moly, how thick is that chocolate frosting?! Yummy!! Thanks for your nice note on my blog, hope you have fun camping!!
Thanks Lauren!
You inspired it! Would you believe the bag just says "small white beans?" They're by Bob's Red Mill :-)
Thanks CoconutGal!
You don't do chocolate, but only cacao nibs, right? Can you melt cacao nibs over a double boiler? I've never tried to melt them. If so, this frosting would work for you, wouldn't it?
Love, Kelly
That is gorgeous! (Of course, all your recipes are, Kelly!) Now I'm wanting cake for breakfast. :-)
I have used chickpeas to make chocolate cake and black beans to make brownies, but not white beans yet. The added protein, etc. has to be wonderful for you in this recipe.
Can't wait to see the tier cake for the girls! You rock as a mom. :-)
Shirley
This cake looks so amazing! Why is it when I decide to cut back on dessert, bloggers post the most delicious looking foods. Well its sugar free and high in protein right? So, technically, I don't think it counts as dessert.
Wow that looks delicious! Nutritious is hardly the thought that comes to mind when I look at that photo!
sounds tasty and easy to make. definitely gonna try this thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Shirley! I can't wait to make the tier cake!
Thanks CDM! I would call this cake dessert, *and* we ate it this morning again for breakfast :-)
Thanks Alisa! I get such a kick out of that! I love telling people what ingredients are in something that looks unhealthy, or tastes amazing, and they can't believe it!
Thanks Harcout! I hope you enjoy it!
My goodness - that looks lovely! Wow, how creative - I never would have thought to use white beans in a cake! And I love coconut, I will have to try it out. Thank you for visiting my blog! I look forward to perusing your recipes!
Angie
http://gluten-dairy-sugarfree.com
When I looked in my pantry and discovered I had all the ingredients, I figured it was a sign. My 12 year old sister was scared of the beans and kept sniffing the cake throughout the entire process. When it was done, everone loved it and no one (other than my sister and I) knew it was made with beans. DELICIOUS, moist, light....all the things you hope for in a cake.
Thanks Angie! Coconut rocks! Keep in touch!
CDM,
AWESOME! I am *thrilled* that you tried it and like it so much!!! So cool!
Wow, this does not look like a "special" cake! The texture looks wonderful and I like the idea of no xanthan gum. I'm definitely going to save this recipe of yours and add it to my collection. It's just my style!
By the way, were you at the CSA Food Fair?
Thanks! I appreciate your experimentation with the cake so that we can all enjoy your efforts.
:-)
Melissa
Hi Kelly!
I can't find any coconut flour where I live (I'm from Malaysia...!). Can I substitute the coconut flour with anything else (non-wheat, low carb)?
Thanks in advance!
Beautiful looking cake! Will make this next time we have a birthday around our house.
Thanks Melissa!
I was at the fair, were you?
Cheers, Kelly
Christine,
Hi! I don't know how to substitute for coconut flour, but you can order it online. I get mine from Tropical Traditions. If you follow the link on my site (on the right hand column) for Virgin Coconut Oil, you can buy the coconut flour I use there. And if you use my # they will send you a free book too!
Cheers, Kelly
Thanks Hanni! I hope you make it and enjoy it as much as we do! I'll be posting my girls birthday tier cake with this recipe in a few weeks -Yeah!
Cheers, Kelly
It looks so moist - without any oil? Is it the eggs, or what that makes it work that way (usually when I subtitute beans or applesauce for oil, my baked goods end up too dry...) Thanks!
Hi Annie!
It is really moist and delicious! Just keep and eye on it so you don't overbake it, and I think you will really enjoy this cake!
:-) Kelly
is there something that I can put instead of coconut flour? I don't get that on my country =( And I really want to try making this cake!
Eris,
Can you order it online? If not, I would try 2/3 cup of other gluten-free flours, like brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, tapioca flour, etc. Coconut flour expands, unlike other flours, so I think about twice as much of another flour should work. Hope that helps!
Cheers, Kelly
How beautiful! This looks so delicious, Kelly. I wonder if I could leave out the vanilla and maybe add lemon juice?
Thanks GF Dish! That sounds so yummy! This would make a great lemon cake. You could even use like 1/2 tsp of lemon extract. Let us know if you do!
Just made this for my wife's birthday. We love it. Even my co-workers have tried it with a raised eyebrow and are very impressed. Great recipe!!
Hi Jason! That's awesome! Thanks so much for letting me know!
Hi, I've been meaning to ask, is coconut sugar the same as palm sugar? I already have that in my pantry for asian cooking so it would be great to know if it's healthy too!
Hi! It should be the same, but if the ingredients are written in another language, you could translate them online to be sure. :-)
OMG!
I made this last night, and was a bit skeptical by the way it tasted warm.
I let it sit, covered, in the fridge overnight and frosted it this morning.
Absolutely awesome!
I don't use honey, I simply substituted xylitol and a little bit of water...but it turned out perfect.
I will most def. be using this again and again....noone will know it's secret bean ingredient!
Hi Kelly,
Just wanted to ask you how much is in a chocolate bar (for the icing)?
Hi Samantha,
I love your comment! haha! Thank you soooo much!
Katie,
It's 3.2 ounces or 90 grams.
Cheers, Kelly
Kelly, is there anything I could substitute for the honey? My little boy has a digestive disorder that leaves him unable to process ANY sugar or dairy including honey. I am desperately trying to find him a cake recipe that doesn't have dairy or sugar (no fruit either, because its high in sugar) Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Jryanbass,
Sure! You could just leave it out all together, or try substituting with coconut sugar or xylitol. Both are very low glycemic index, like stevia. Let me know how it goes :-)
Looks amazing! Can you advise on the frosting recipe? It says coconut milk, but I don't see coconut milk used in the melted chocolate - just coconut flour. Just wanted to clarify before I go grocery shopping. Thanks!
I'd like to bake your cake, but is it possible to substitute the eggs with Orgran's "Noegg" replacer? I have a stomach pain if I eat too much eggs:(
Your cake looks soooo delicious!
Thanks Minerva! I use both, coconut milk and coconut flour in the frosting. I melt the dark chocolate bars with the coconut milk over a double boiler, then whisk in the coconut flour.
Thanks Cinnamon! I'm not sure if it would work, but I would love to know! Please let us know if you try it!
Yum! Do you think the leftovers would freeze well for snacking later?
This is such a fab recipe!! I have made it in both cupcake and cake and it's delicious. I only use two eggs though and it still works out fine plus I use rice bran oil as the fat agent.
I also tried the dark chocolate, coconut milk, and coconut flour frosting and loved it. Tried it on my family and they weren't too keen on it - found it too bitter! I guess their taste buds aren't adjusted for healthy bitter dark chocolate.
It's my birthday in two months and I'm planning on making this in cupcake form with the frosting. Do you have any suggestions as a way to make the frosting tastier for people who aren't used to healthy-er food? Maybe not use dark chocolate? Also, how would the addition of orange zest in the cake batter be?
Love your blog - keep up the good work.
Kate - Australia
Thank you so much Kate! :-) It's so wonderful to make people happy!
Definitely, if it's not sweet enough, just use like a 50% chocolate, or Enjoy Life chocolate chips.
Love the idea of using zest in the batter. Let me know how it works out, and if you take a picture I'd love to post it.
Love, Kelly
I finally have an excuse to make this - my husband's birthday! I'm going to use 1 standard can of organic great white northern beans, drained and rinsed. If it works out as well as I think it will, it will also be present as a nut-free dessert option at Thanksgiving!
Do you know, by the way, whether it freezes well? Also, what size chocolate bars or how many chocolate chips should I use in the frosting? And what size springform did you use - 8" or 9"? Thanks so much!
Hi -M!
I can't wait for you to make this! Is a can equal to 2 cups of beans? I don't know if it freezes well yet. We always eat it in a day or two :-)
The chocolate bars I use are 3.2 oz, which is a little over 1/3 cup if you want to use chocolate chips. I'm guessing that's about 3/4 cup total.
My springform pan is 9 inches, and I also often use a bundt pan for it. It takes me about 35 minutes in the bundt pan, but I always check it.
Cheers, Kelly
This is great! Very moist and spongy! Next time I would definitely use dark chocolate for the frosting though; I used Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolate chips and it was REALLY sweet for me (my husband had no problem with this, lol). This is the first white/yellow cake that either of us has liked, gluten-free or not, grain-free or not. EXCELLENT JOB! I can't wait to make your waffles too.
I just made this cake yesterday for my birthday and it was AWESOME. My husband and daughter (both extremely picky eaters) enjoyed it as well. You can not even tell it has beans in it! thank you so much for this easy, delicious recipe!
Thanks -M!
Thanks Karen!
Kelly, could a mixer or blender be used instead of the food processor?
When I see coconut milk in a recipe is that referring to the canned coconut milk or the coconut milk found in the dairy section? Sorry I'm new to this....
Hi Laura,
Yes I usually do use my blender. But it may have to be a really high quality blender to work.
Anonymous,
There is coconut milk in the dairy section? Do you know what brand it is? I use canned, but it doesn't matter as long as it's pure coconut milk, and not a blend of coconut milk and dairy.
Thank you! I will use the canned coconut milk for my first attempt with the recipe.
Yes, So Delicious makes a coconut milk we use as a replacement in recipes and on cereal. They also make a coffee creamer and an ice cream :o) My daughter is sensitive to dairy so this has been a great replacement for us!
Oh my gosh, that cake looks so good.
You have a great website here.
Have a wonderful new year.
Kelly you are a hero for this blog, I have hope. :)
Do you think this would work with almond flour instead of coconut? Surfing over here from the marble cake post :) I still don't have any coconut flour, but I have tons of almonds :)
I just made this over the weekend. I added lemon zest and substituted butter for coconut oil. I also tried this two ways: (1) sponge cake style (where i separated 4 of the eggs and beat the whites (to soft peaks) and eggs (til light and fluffy) and then folded them into the batter for extra leavening) and then (2) the "normal" way, just as the recipe says. I liked both results though the next time I do this I think I'll just stick to the recipe as is. Beating the eggs separately makes it a little lighter but the crumb is a bit coarse and unattractive.
This cake is really delicious! I am so surprised and impressed. I baked it for a customer with dietary restrictions. I did 1 1/2 times the recipe, baked it in two 9 inch pans. I then sliced each layer in half and filled it with alternating layers of raspberry bavarian cream and raspberry/blueberry/lemon compote. Tonight I will ice it in whipped cream. It would also taste amazing with coconut milk "whipped cream" for any non dairy people.
I just gave samples to my coworkers at an upscale healthfood store and everyone raved! Yay..a great gluten free option. Thank you so much!
Betsy! That is so cool! Thank you so much! Do you have a photo? I would love to add you to my reader photos section if so, with credit to you and your website if you like :-) Thanks again! Cheers, Kelly
Kelly, I will try and get some photos tonight. how can I get them to you? I'm SOOO glad I found your site...i need to do some more exploring here. This is a great source for gluten free, etc. baking.
That would be fantastic Betsy! I can pull them from your blog if you have one, or you can send me a jpeg. My email is kelly@thespunkycoconut.com
Kelly, you are a godsend! Honestly! I made your yellow cake last night and practically cried, it tasted so good. Since going gluten free and dairy free recently, this is BY FAR the best dessert I have had. No more funky, expensive gluten free flours and gums for me!
I substituted xylitol and added some coconut milk to replace the honey, since I am diabetic. I had a VERY large slice for my breakfast and my blood sugar was MUCH lower than after my normal breakfast, thanks to all those wonderfully nutritious and high fiber beans. And as you promised, no hint of any bean flavor.
Woman, you have changed my life! THANK YOU!
Cathy B.
Thanks Cathy! I was reading your comment out loud with my 7 year old, who is very into my blog ;-) and she and I were both crying "happy tears"—I am so touched and grateful. Big hugs, Kelly
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