Before you say anything, this cake has not a hint of chickpea taste! Here, the canned beans replace flour entirely to create a dense, moist cake that's not too sweet and happens to be fat-free and dairy-free. The orange apricot glaze gives it a nice tang. Inspired from a recipe that appeared in an issue of Veggie Life magazine.
2 cups cooked, drained chickpeas
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 orange
4 large eggs*
1 cup packed demerera sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or carob chips and/or chopped hazelnuts, optional
If using hazelnuts, lightly toast on a dry skillet or in a warm oven until lightly golden. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8-inch round cake pan and circle of waxed paper.
In a food processor, puree chickpeas and orange juice until very smooth. Add vanilla, orange zest and eggs, one at a time, pulsing after each one.
In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to processor and pulse until blended. Stir in chocolate or carob chips or hazelnuts, if using. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, checking after 40 to see if a toothpick inserted comes out dry. When done, let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then remove and set on a serving dish. If desired, top with either glaze, a dusting of icing sugar, or fruit.
*For an egg-free cake, replace with: 3/4 cup water combined with 1/4 cup ground flax seed (let stand 10 minutes to thicken before adding in the recipe); or 1 cup whipped silken soft tofu; or (if you like a chocolate banana cake) 1 large mashed ripe banana.
ORANGE APRICOT GLAZE
1/2 cup orange juice
zest of 1 orange
10 dried apricot halves
2 Tbsp honey
pinch cardamom
GARNISH: mango slices and fresh berries
In a small saucepan, combine orange juice and zest. Bring to a boil, then add apricots and simmer a few minutes. Remove from heat and add honey and cardamom. When cool, puree til smooth. Pour on center of cake and spread evenly, and top with mango slices and/or fresh berries if you like (delicious with raspberries!).
FOR INDIVIDUAL DOSHAS
VATAS chocolate is not recommended; replace chickpeas with 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa; use any egg replacement option
PITTAS chocolate is not recommended; choose flax or tofu egg-replacement option
KAPHAS chocolate is not recommended; replace sugar with fruit concentrate or prune puree; choose flax or tofu egg-replacement option
6 comments:
Do you eat eggs, Frannie? All the reading I've done lately, says they are 'tamasic' but I'm reluctant to give them up. (I'm a 100% kapha dosha.)
x Helen
Hi Helen!
I do eat eggs occasionally and enjoy them, though the problem with eggs is that they're rajasic -- not a bad thing, but can be in excess. Most ayurvedic sources condemn eating eggs, so to follow a pure ayurvedic lifestyle would exclude eggs. But, in one book I refer to quite a lot, it recommends eggs for Vatas, and egg whites only for Pittas and Kaphas because the yolks are so "hot" and heavy.
As a Kapha you could be selective about when/how much you eat eggs, and opt for non-fried, fat-free cooking like poached or boiled (or baked) and try not to eat the yolk.
Hope this helps! :-)
yum I made this it was so good!!! Unfortunatly mine did not rise as much as yours (it actually didn't rise at all!) but it was still soo nice! Even the none health-food-eaters in my house enjoyed it!!
I am confused in how you said all doshas should avoid chocolate. Does this include raw cacao? Love the blog, btw :)
Sometimes flat cakes are the best...!
And thanks, rainbow grace! About the chocolate, the thing with chocolate (in my unofficial ayurvedic opinion) is that it is cold and fatty (bad for Kaphas), has caffeine (bad for Vatas and Pittas), and is often mixed with refined sugars (bad for everyone) and dairy (bad for Kaphas). So, despite its antioxidant qualities, especially in raw cacao or dark organic chocolate, it's best consumed in moderation (never say never to yummy treats!). Hope this helps a bit :-)
i made this cake for my mum's birthday, and she absolutely loved it! (:
Post a Comment