I've come across this recipe and would like to make it healthier without adversely affecting the flavour or texture.
Am I OK using dairy milk and butter?
Can I replace the coconut oil with rapeseed or Sunflower oil? If so, would it be a 1:1 replacement?
If I replace the cup (200g) coconut sugar with 70g or Truvia, should I add extra milk or something else? If so, what?
Any suggestion as to how I can replace or at least reduce the amount of butter?
Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake - Making Thyme for Health
Chocolate Quinoa Cake
Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa*
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or preferred milk)
4 whole pasture-raised eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup organic evaporated cane juice/ or organic white sugar/ or coconut sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE WHIPPED CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM FROSTING
1 (13.5 ounce) can of full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
1 (10 ounce) bag chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and then line two round cake pans (or a 9×13” pan) with parchment paper.
In a food processor or blender, combine the eggs, almond milk (or preferred milk) and vanilla extract then blend for ten seconds to combine. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa along with the melted and cooled butter and coconut oil then blend until completely smooth, about thirty seconds.
Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl (cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt). Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and mix together until well-combined. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
To make the frosting you will need to refrigerate the coconut milk overnight (in the coldest part of your refrigerator) so that the cream separates. Grab the coconut milk from the refrigerator but don’t shake the can or turn it upside down before opening. Open the can and scoop out the solid parts with a spoon then place them in a medium size saucepan. Add the chocolate chips to the saucepan then warm over medium heat, until the coconut cream and chocolate melt together. Whisk until smooth then transfer to a large bowl that you can later use to whip it in. (note: if the melted chocolate/coconut milk mixture still appears really dark you can add more coconut milk to lighten it up so that the end result isn’t bitter)
Allow to cool on the counter then cover and refrigerate for several hours, until thickened. Once it has thickened, remove from the refrigerator and beat on high for thirty seconds to one minute, until a fluffy icing has formed. (I made mine the night before baking the cake).
Transfer the cakes to a surface for icing with the bottom side up. I recommend that you only transfer the cakes once as they are fragile and difficult to hold together once removed from the parchment paper.
Frost the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. The icing will melt in really warm conditions but should be fine for a few hours in cooler settings.
*approximately 3/4 cup dry quinoa will yield 2 cups cooked quinoa. I like to soak it overnight, rinse and then cook it in 1.5 cup water by bringing the water to a boil, adding the quinoa and then reducing to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Quinoa should be soft and fluffy, you don’t want any crunchy pieces in the cake!
note: using light coconut milk may result in undesirable results for the icing
Am I OK using dairy milk and butter?
Can I replace the coconut oil with rapeseed or Sunflower oil? If so, would it be a 1:1 replacement?
If I replace the cup (200g) coconut sugar with 70g or Truvia, should I add extra milk or something else? If so, what?
Any suggestion as to how I can replace or at least reduce the amount of butter?
Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake - Making Thyme for Health
Chocolate Quinoa Cake
Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa*
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or preferred milk)
4 whole pasture-raised eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup organic evaporated cane juice/ or organic white sugar/ or coconut sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE WHIPPED CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM FROSTING
1 (13.5 ounce) can of full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
1 (10 ounce) bag chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and then line two round cake pans (or a 9×13” pan) with parchment paper.
In a food processor or blender, combine the eggs, almond milk (or preferred milk) and vanilla extract then blend for ten seconds to combine. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa along with the melted and cooled butter and coconut oil then blend until completely smooth, about thirty seconds.
Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl (cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt). Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and mix together until well-combined. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
To make the frosting you will need to refrigerate the coconut milk overnight (in the coldest part of your refrigerator) so that the cream separates. Grab the coconut milk from the refrigerator but don’t shake the can or turn it upside down before opening. Open the can and scoop out the solid parts with a spoon then place them in a medium size saucepan. Add the chocolate chips to the saucepan then warm over medium heat, until the coconut cream and chocolate melt together. Whisk until smooth then transfer to a large bowl that you can later use to whip it in. (note: if the melted chocolate/coconut milk mixture still appears really dark you can add more coconut milk to lighten it up so that the end result isn’t bitter)
Allow to cool on the counter then cover and refrigerate for several hours, until thickened. Once it has thickened, remove from the refrigerator and beat on high for thirty seconds to one minute, until a fluffy icing has formed. (I made mine the night before baking the cake).
Transfer the cakes to a surface for icing with the bottom side up. I recommend that you only transfer the cakes once as they are fragile and difficult to hold together once removed from the parchment paper.
Frost the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. The icing will melt in really warm conditions but should be fine for a few hours in cooler settings.
*approximately 3/4 cup dry quinoa will yield 2 cups cooked quinoa. I like to soak it overnight, rinse and then cook it in 1.5 cup water by bringing the water to a boil, adding the quinoa and then reducing to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Quinoa should be soft and fluffy, you don’t want any crunchy pieces in the cake!
note: using light coconut milk may result in undesirable results for the icing