A cake for that one time I stopped drawing
because I was filling paper with weird shapes and not trees and the sun and
the birds; for the novel I wrote when I was eight; for the most terrible
nightmares of snakes and monsters (and for waking up from them on command); for
the curliest hair; for not listening to my mum; for having thought for half a
second that someone who undervalues invisibility could be a better version of
me; a cake for master plans and for not having one; for making someone coffee without a reason, for things that happen in due course, for illusions, robots, badgers,
business cards, birthday cards, ellipses.
A cake for James and me.
120g (4.2oz) cooked black beans
50g (scant 1/2 cup) dates
85ml (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) melted coconut oil
40g (1/3 cup) ground flaxseed
40g (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
75ml (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) agave syrup
Icing:
60g (1/2 cup) dates
1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
60ml (1/4 cup) water
Truffles:
60g (1/2 cup) dates
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Preheat the oven to 175°C (340°F) and
lightly grease your cake tin(s). Place the beans, dates and coconut oil in a
blender and process until they are combined into a smooth paste. In a bowl mix
together ground flaxseed, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and
salt. Add the bean mixture and the agave syrup then mix until combined. Pour
into the prepared tins and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into
the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Place on a rack to cool and move on to
the icing and truffles for decoration.
To make the icing, place all the ingredients in
a blender and blitz until completely smooth, then place in the fridge to firm
up slightly.
For the truffles, process together dates
and cocoa powder until combined into a smooth and sticky paste, then fold in
the chia seeds and roll into small balls. Coat some of them in more cocoa powder if you
like.
When the cake layers have completely
cooled, assemble the cake spreading the icing on the top of one layer, sandwich
the second one on top, then spread more icing on the top and sides. Decorate
with the truffles, feel proud of yourself and eat.
Notes: This recipe makes two 10 cm/4”
mini cakes (which I sandwiched), as it was just us and no dancing badgers yet. However you can double the recipe (for the cake,
but also icing and truffles) and adjust the cooking time to about 45 minutes if
you want to make a 20cm one.