Surprisingly Delicious Quinoa Chocolate Cake (no flour!)

Paula Shoyer’s Chocolate Quinoa Cake

(originally from Food52.com)

Cake ingredients

• 3/4 cup (130g) quinoa (enough to make 2 1/4 cups cooked quinoa)

• 1 1/2 cups (360ml) water

• Cooking spray or melted coconut oil, for greasing the pan

• 2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa (or potato starch), for dusting the pan

• 1/3 cup (80ml) orange juice (from 1 orange)

• 4 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or other vanilla if for Passover)

• 3/4 cup (180ml) melted coconut oil

• 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar

• 1 cup (80g) dark unsweetened cocoa

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 ounces (55g) bittersweet chocolate

Glaze ingredients (optional - I just sprinkled powdered sugar on top and it was delicious)

• 5 ounces (140g) bittersweet chocolate

• 1 tablespoon sunflower or safflower oil

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or other vanilla if for Passover)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the quinoa and water into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and cook the quinoa for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. The quinoa should be fully cooked at this point—taste a little to make sure it's not crunchy (if it is, add a little more water to the pan and keep cooking till it's softened). Set the pan aside. The quinoa may be made 1 day or more in advance.

2. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 12-cup (2.8L) bundt pan, sprinkle the dark unsweetened cocoa (or potato starch) over the greased pan, then shake the pan to remove any excess starch.

3. Place the quinoa in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the orange juice, eggs, vanilla, oil, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and process until the mixture is very smooth.

4. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, or place in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and put in a microwave for 45 seconds, stirring and then heating the chocolate for another 30 seconds, until it is melted. Add the chocolate to the quinoa batter and process until well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake it for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

5. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes and then gently turn it out of the pan onto a wire cooling rack. Let it cool on the rack.

6. To make the glaze, melt the chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl in the microwave (see above) or over a double boiler. Add the oil and vanilla and whisk well. Let the glaze sit for 5 minutes and then whisk it again. Use a silicone spatula to spread the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Serve at room temperature and store any leftovers airtight at room temperature