I wasn’t sure what to expect from this recipe but because so many of the blogs I read featured it, I decided it couldn’t possibly be a flop.  The biggest issue I had was with the frosting.  When I made this, I didn’t own a hand mixer or kitchen aid, so I had to beat it by hand.  Some of the pieces of avocado, not matter how hard I tried, just wouldn’t blend in with the rest of the frosting.  That said, the flavor was still good, and even though the final outcome looked a little, well, unfinished, the cake came out marvelously.

This cake literally melts in your mouth.  It is so light and moist, with a fluffy texture that makes every bite float above the tongue.  The frosting, while a bit loose, is sweet but not too overpoweringly so; the avocado flavor breaks through and adds richness and stability.

Even if you’re not vegan, this cake will certainly surprise you.  My mom left with a few pieces for my dad and brother, and they inhaled it before she even told them it was vegan or that there was avocado in the picture.  I’d say that’s a pretty good sign.

Vegan Chocolate Cake With Avocado Frosting

Yield: one 9-inch layer cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

For the cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup avocado, mashed (about 1 avocado)
2 cups water
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Avocado Frosting:
8 oz avocado meat, mashed (about 2 avocados)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 lb powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare your cake pans by spraying and flouring them.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, avocado, water, vinegar and vanilla extract until combined and smooth.

Then, mix in the dry ingredients with the wet ones. Do so until just combined but try not to over mix. Pour the completed batter in the cake tins and bake for 35 minutes. You should probably check after a half hour, though, just to make sure the cake doesn’t burn.

While the cake is baking, whisk together the avocado and lemon juice in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed for a couple of minutes until the mixture is smooth. Add the powdered sugar slowly, then add the vanilla extract. (You can also refrigerate this frosting overnight if you don’t need it immediately.)

When the cake has finished baking, remove it from the oven. Cool for 5 minutes in the cake pans and then transfer to cooling racks, allowing them to cool completely before frosting.

Cake recipe from Joy the Baker ; Avocado frosting from Alton Brown