michelle picker cooks

If you’re looking to impress this Christmas and you want to cater to gluten free guests, look no further. This chocolate cake is amazingly moist, delicious and decadent. Quinoa, a member of the amaranth family, is more of a vegetable than a cereal. The leaves are edible but it’s mostly grown for its seeds which are considered a ‘super food’ containing high quality protein and amino acids. In this recipe, from Mels Kitchen Cafe, the cooked seeds replace flour, making the cake totally gluten free!

You will need 2 cups of cooked and cooled quinoa. Wash about ⅔ of a cup of dry quinoa and boil it in plenty of water for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Drain and cool. When you’re ready to make the cake, preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and grease and line 2 cake tins. If you want a taller cake, use 15cm (6″) tins, for a wider cake 20cm (8″) tins. In a cup or bowl, melt ¾ of a cup of salted butter and allow to cool. In a blender or food processor combine ⅓ of a cup milk, 4 large eggs and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Add 2 cups of cooked quinoa and the cooled melted butter and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in 1½ cups of sugar, 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, ½ a teaspoon of baking soda and ½ a teaspoon of salt. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for around 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tins before inverting onto racks and removing the baking paper. While the cake is baking, bring 1¼ cups of thick cream to a simmer for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and add ⅓ of a cup of dark chocolate buttons. Let it sit for a few minutes and then whisk until all the chocolate has melted. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. When the cake is cooled, whip the cream mixture until you have soft peaks. Place one cake upside down on your serving plate and top with a generous amount of the whipped chocolate cream, nearly to the edge. Place the second cake on top and spread the chocolate cream to the edge. Chill the frosted cake for at least 2 hours before serving.