The Nation's Health

Blueberry Chocolate Cake

I love my dietetic internship!! This week I'm testing one of my recipes in the cafe.

Chocolate Cake

1/3 c. dark cocoa powder
6 oz blueberry yogurt
1 can rinsed black beans
4 oz hot blueberry water
1 T instant coffee
1 cup sugar
1 T. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

5.2 oz (~1 c.) chopped chocolate/chocolate chips
5 oz dried blueberries (dry weight before rehydration)

Cover dried blueberries with 1 cup boiling water and let sit for 10 -15 minutes. Remove 4 oz (1/2 c.) hot blueberry water and dissolve instant coffee in this hot water. Puree black beans and hot coffee in food processor. In a separate bowl, stir the cocoa into the yogurt to create a thick chocolate paste. In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and black bean mixture. Add in yogurt and cocoa mixture. Mix. Add in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients half at a time. Mix until all moistened, but do not over mix!

Drain remaining water from blueberries and fold berries into cake batter. Lastly, fold in chocolate chips.

Divided batter in to 2 rounds. Bake at 325F in convection oven for 23 minutes (or 350F for 30 minutes in regular oven). Remove and allow cakes to cool completely.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache Filling

5.2 oz chopped dark chocolate (semisweet also an option)
1 c. whipping cream

Heat cream to just under boiling, pour over chopped chocolate and let sit for several minutes. Wisk to evenly melt and dissolve chocolate in to cream, let cool. Once mixture is cool, but not set or hard, whip into semi-soft peaks and let chill in refrigerator. To assemble cake, flip one round out onto plate or rack. Spread 1 to 1.5 cups of whipped filling on to bottom cake. Flip top layer cake top side up on to bottom layer and filling. Pipe whipped chocolate along edge to fill crack between layers.

Chocolate Ganache Topping

9 oz chopped dark or bittersweet chocolate
1 c. whipping cream

Heat cream to just under boiling, pour over chopped chocolate and let sit for several minutes. Wisk to evenly melt and dissolve chocolate in to cream. Allow chocolate to cool slightly, then pour evenly over cake. Usually take about 5-6 oz to ladle over top, allowing chocolate to cascade over edge and cover completely.

Let ganache cool/harden. Then pipe chocolate flowers using whipped ganache on to each piece. Or garnish however. :)