This cake is sure to make an impression. The unique pairing of rich and fudgy chocolate cake flavored with rosemary and crowned with billowy tufts of lemon frosting will make it a standout ending to any meal.
Chocolate Rosemary Cake with Lemony Frosting
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Ingredients
- 1 lb eggplant
- 5 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp maple syrup divided
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder plus extra for garnish
- 1/2 cup finely ground almond flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 12 oz extra-firm tofu drained and well dried
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line 5 x 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Set oven rack about 6-inch from broiler and preheat broiler. Lightly grease rimmed baking tray with coconut oil.
- Trim off top of eggplant and cut in half lengthwise. Place cut side down on greased baking tray. Broil, checking and turning eggplant every couple of minutes, until eggplant is cooked through and very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove eggplant from oven, place oven rack in center of oven, and preheat to 350 F.
- While eggplant is cooking, in medium-sized heatproof bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, melt chocolate while stirring constantly with rubber spatula. Make sure water in saucepan does not touch bottom of bowl or you run the risk of burning the chocolate. Once chocolate has melted, remove from saucepan and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- When eggplant is cool enough to handle, scrape out the inside, discarding charred skin, and place in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade attachment. Along with eggplant pulp, add applesauce, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and melted chocolate to food processor. Purée until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- In large bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, almond flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and rosemary. Add eggplant mixture to dry ingredients and fold together with rubber spatula until just combined and no pockets of dry ingredients are left. Tip batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth top. Bake in preheated oven until edges of cake look cooked, about 40 minutes. Let cake cool to room temperature in loaf pan on wire rack; don’t be alarmed: it will fall slightly. Remove cake from pan, transfer to serving platter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- While cake cools then chills, prepare lemony frosting. In blender, combine together tofu, remaining 2 Tbsp maple syrup, melted coconut oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Take your time: this may take a few minutes and require the blender to be scraped down a few times. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
- When ready to serve, remove chocolate rosemary cake from refrigerator. Spread top of cake with lemony frosting and garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder, if desired. Slice and serve. Any leftover cake will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
Per serving: 210 calories; 8 g protein; 14 g total fat (8 g sat. fat); 19 g total carbohydrates (10 g sugars, 5 g fiber); 146 mg sodium
Lemon love
Preserve all that lemons have to offer by first finely zesting lemon rind before juicing. Even if you don’t need lemon zest for your recipe, it freezes beautifully if stored in an airtight container, ready for another day.
