This no bake chocolate cake is soft and creamy and contains a hidden healthy ingredient. The cake needs just 2 ingredients and doesn't require any flour, eggs, dairy, butter or oil.
1 1/4cups (279g)cauliflower puree, see note before starting
2 3/4cups (443g)dark bittersweet chocolate chips, 60% cocoa, see note before starting
Instructions
Spray the interior of a 7-inch springform pan with cooking oil spray. Line the bottom with a parchment round. Also line the sides with long strips of cut parchment paper.
Add 2 inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the caulilfower florets in a steamer basket and set it over the pot (the water should not touch the basket). Cover and steam for 10-13 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very, very soft and easily pierced with a fork. It's important to steam the cauliflower and not boil it or let it touch the water because the cauliflower will absorb too much water if it is cooked in the water. Let the cauliflower cool for about 15-20 minutes (with the lid off) so excess steam can escape.
Transfer the cauliflower to a small high powered blender (like a Nutribullet) and blend until the cauliflower is fully mashed or fully smooth, scraping down the sides a few times as needed to help the blender blend. Do not add any water. There should not be any chunks of cauliflower left in the mash and it should resemble mashed potatoes. This should take a few minutes of blending, stopping to scrape, and blending again. Measure 279 grams of puree (about 1.25 cups) to be added to the chocolate.
Add chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between with a spatula, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Alternatively, you could do this over low heat in a double boiler on the stove.
Add the cauliflower puree and melted chocolate to a large high powered blender. Make sure your puree is not cold. Mine was room temperature/slightly warm. Blend until smooth and uniform in color, with no visible traces of cauliflower remaining. The batter will be thick. Transfer the batter to your prepared cake pan.
Put the cake in the fridge to set, around 4-6 hours or overnight. Once cake is set, carefully release it from the cake pan and peel off the parchment paper. If desired, you can decorate the cake with frosting or fresh fruit before serving. The frosting I used is in the recipe notes.
Cut the cake with a large sharp knife. I recommend small slices because the cake is very rich. Store uneaten cake in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Cauliflower note:You’ll need to start with about 1 large head of cauliflower (about 330 grams of florets). The cauliflower will release some water as it cooks. Make sure to use fresh cauliflower and not frozen. You want to steam the cauliflower until very tender before using and it is important to steam the cauliflower and not boil it because boiling it will result in the cauliflower retaining too much moisture. You will have a little leftover cauliflower so make sure to measure out 279 grams (about 1.25 cups). It is best to use a scale if possible.
Depending on your blender, you may be able to get the cauliflower into a fully smooth puree. If you can't get it fully smooth, it's okay. It will become smooth when you add the melted chocolate. However, make sure to blend the cauliflower at least until fully mashed so there are no chunks of cauliflower before adding the chocolate.
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Dark chocolate note: Make sure to use dark chocolate chips (sometimes labeled bittersweet chocolate chips) that contain around 60% cocoa. Anything less than 60% may cause the cake to not set. It should be okay to be a little higher than 60% but your cake will not be as sweet and may set slightly firmer. If you need the cake to be dairy-free, make sure to choose dairy-free dark chocolate. Also make sure your dark chocolate chips contain lecithin. Chocolate without lecithin may seize and harden once you add in the puree.
Optional ganache frosting:
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) canned coconut milk or heavy cream (if you don't need the cake to be dairy-free)
Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside. Heat coconut milk or heavy cream in a small pot or pan over medium low heat. Heat until simmering. Pour hot coconut milk/heavy cream over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted.
Frost over the surface of the cake. You do not need to use all the frosting.
Estimated nutrition does not include frosting. While the photos in this post show the cake cut into very generous sized slices, this is a very rich cake, so I recommend small slices, around 12-14 per cake.
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.