Recipe: Quinoa Chocolate Cake

I came across this recipe about two weeks ago. It sounded strange to me, but I was very curious.

Does it sound weird? Yes, definitely!

Is it yummy? It is so, so yummy!

Does it taste super healthy? It does taste a bit crunchy, but this is a moist, delicious super chocolaty cake!

What makes me think it's yummy? Well, for one, my picky husband won't put it down! The man just can't get into whole grains and he loves this cake!

Try it! Tell me what you think!

http://hybridrastamama.blogspot.com/2011/03/quinoa-chocolate-cake-recipe-gluten.html

Ingredients


1 cup white or golden quinoa
2 cups water
1/3 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
1tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups sucanat, rapadura, or sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

Directions


1. Combine the water and the quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes. The water should be absorbed. Let cool.


2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two- 8" round cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. (You can also make cupcakes with this recipe).


3. Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in a blender or stand mixer. Blend or beat on low for one minute.


4. Measure out 2 cups of cooked quinoa and add to the blender or mixer. (You will probably have more than this so don’t just dump all the quinoa you made in).


5. Add the butter. Blend until smooth.
6. If using a blender, first whisk together the sucanat (or rapadura or sugar), cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add the contents of the blender and mix well. If using a stand mixer, just dump the remaining ingredients in and mix on medium until well blended.


7. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake on center rack of oven for 40-45 minutes (until a knife inserted comes out clean). If making cupcakes, fill cupcake tins ¾ of the way full and bake for 25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.)


8. Remove cakes from oven and cool completely in the pans before serving. You could make a two layer cake and frost it at this point. Or just serve each cake as is.

I have a plan! I would like to bake Ari's birthday cake myself. I will use this recipe. I will not reveal the ingredient list to my anti crunchy eating family until after they have fallen in love with this cake! I can't wait to see their faces when I tell them they just ate a whole lot of quinoa! The only thing is that Ari wants a Dora cake and decorating cakes is not one of my strengths, to say the least. We'll figure that out later. We have almost six months, after all!