This black bean chocolate cake is fudgy, decadent, and completely gluten-free! I promise that no one will guess it’s flourless and made with a whole can of black beans. It’s incredibly easy to make entirely in a blender with simple pantry ingredients like eggs, sugar, oil and cocoa powder.
While a black bean chocolate cake probably sounds like the worst version of healthy desserts, I’m here to change your mind. When I lived with my old roommate who used to try all of my desserts, she told me that this was one of the best desserts I’ve ever made. And she had no idea that it was made from black beans! (I even made it as her birthday cake one year.)
This cake is not only gluten-free and dairy-free, but you get a decent amount of protein and fiber from a whole can of black beans and lots of eggs. While I’ve made some failed black bean brownies, there’s something more forgiving about black beans in a cake texture. Somehow, the oil, cocoa powder and sugar manage to transform the beans into a light yet fudgy texture that will fool pretty much any chocolate cake lover.
Ingredients
- Black beans: These are the main ingredient that provide the structure usually lent from flour in a cake. You can use canned black beans or beans that you’ve cooked from dry (you’ll need a total of 1 and 3/4 cups of cooked beans). If using canned black beans, make sure they’re unseasoned. Most canned beans have a decent level of sodium, so I don’t call for any added salt. If using no-sodium beans or black beans from scratch cooked without salt, increase this to 1/4 tsp.
- Granulated sugar: You may swap the white sugar for light brown sugar if that’s all you have.
- Olive oil, neutral oil, melted butter, or refined coconut oil: While I slightly prefer using butter, you can use any fat that you prefer! Make sure to use a mild olive oil or refined coconut oil to avoid overpowering the chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla extract: I’ve used both pure vanilla extract and imitation vanilla and both will work well.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: I strongly recommend using Dutch-process cocoa for its richer color and the best flavor. A few favorite brands include Hershey’s Special Dark, Valrhona and Droste. However in a pinch, regular cocoa (like Hershey’s) will also work.
Butter vs. oil
I recently re-tested this cake with olive oil (below left) vs. creamed butter (below right).
As you can see, the crumb is slightly tighter, more even and a little more crumbly with the creamed butter, but the the overall texture is so similar that I don’t think creaming is worth the extra effort. I thought the flavor of the butter cake was SLIGHTLY preferable to the oil-based cake, but they’re honestly fairly interchangeable.
I’ve updated the recipe to remove the creamed butter option. Feel free to use melted butter or any type of oil you like and use the blender method!
How to make this black bean chocolate cake recipe
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep the pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2 6-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper for extra security to ensure the cake comes out smoothly.
Step 2: Blend the batter. In a high speed blender or food processor, place beans, sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla and blend until completely smooth. Add the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.
Step 3: Bake! Pour bean batter into each prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top springs back. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes before flipping the cake onto a wire rack to cool. Make the frosting as you let the cake cool completely.
What does flourless black bean chocolate cake taste like?
Coming from someone who has tried a lot of chocolate cakes, this tastes exactly like regular chocolate cake. The crumb is tender, moist, a little fudgy and not too sweet. I promise you won’t taste the black beans at all!
What ingredients are in the vegan frosting?
Back in the day, I used to frost this cake with a vegan pudding frosting adapted from Angelica’s Kitchen. I now prefer this with a regular chocolate buttercream and I typically use Sally’s chocolate buttercream. However, I’m still including the recipe for the pudding frosting below since it’s great for those with dietary restrictions.
The original vegan frosting uses a few unusual ingredients:
- Maple syrup: for sweetness.
- Cornstarch: for thickening properties.
- Agar flakes: a sea vegetable superfood that serves as a gelatin substitute. When boiled with water, the flakes create a jelly-like texture.
- Cocoa powder: for chocolate-y flavor.
- Milk: I used almond milk, but you can use any milk you like. Coconut milk could be a great option for a slightly richer flavor.
- Vanilla: for enhanced flavor
All of these ingredients combine to form a frosting with the texture of chocolate pudding. You can tell it’s fat-free thanks to a lack of richness, but the good thing about it? It’s a nice light frosting that will be safe for vegans and gluten-free folk alike.
Other frosting options: I highly recommend pairing this cake with a regular chocolate buttercream. Sally’s chocolate buttercream is my go-to! Half of the linked recipe is just enough to frost this 6″ double layer cake. I’d use the full recipe if you want a more generous amount of frosting. A peanut butter filling would also work really well with this cake!
A very simple glaze: One reader noted that she made a simple glaze with melted chocolate chips and almond milk that worked well with this cake made in an 8×8 pan. I’d estimate 2/3 cup of chocolate chips with 2-3 tbsp of milk (depending on how thick you want the glaze) would work well.
How to store black bean cake?
I would recommend storing leftover slices of cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also wrap individual frosted slices in plastic wrap, slip into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.
If you loved this cake, you may also like:
- For another chocolate-y treat with no refined sugar, these vegan mini chocolate muffins are another classic recipe that uses date paste as a wholesome sweetener.
- This cottage cheese cheesecake is made with just cottage cheese and Greek yogurt for a higher-protein version of a delicious classic cheesecake!
- A decadent flourless chocolate cake with an aquafaba meringue
- This lemon meringue pie has a tofu-based filling with an aquafaba meringue
Flourless Black Bean Chocolate Cake (gluten-free!)
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed* or 1 3/4 cups cooked black beans (301g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 4 large eggs 200g
- 5 tbsp melted butter or oil of your choice (vegetable, canola, grapeseed, avocado, a mild olive oil or refined coconut oil all work) 70g
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 5 tbsp cocoa (Dutch-process preferred) 26g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Make the cake
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line 2 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a high speed blender or food processor, puree the beans, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until completely smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda directly to the blender and blend until smooth.
- Divide batter equally into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top springs back. Let cool for 5 minutes before flipping the cake onto a cooling rack. Make the frosting as the cake cools completely. (I recommend the chocolate buttercream by Sally's Baking Addiction!)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Vegan Chocolate Pudding Frosting
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp agar flakes
- 1.5 cups water
- 3/4 cups cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
- 3/4-1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 6 tbsp milk, your choice (I used almond)
Instructions
- Combine the agar flakes and water over medium heat for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally. Then whisk in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla and salt.
- Combine the cornstarch and almond milk in a small bowl and add the cornstarch slurry to the agar mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. Let cook for 1 full minute to activate the cornstarch, then remove from heat.
- Pour into a glass pan or measuring cup and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or until the cake is ready to be frosted. Whisk the frosting by hand or with an electric beater to fluff up before frosting the cake.
VS
After reading the comments of several people saying the cake was too liquidy, I read another recipe for the black bean cake and it only called for 2 Tablespoons oil, so instead of The 5 Tablespoons in this recipe, I used 3 and I thought the cake came out just right.Maybe it might help some who feel the cake is too moist, that the oil can be adjusted to suit their needs.
Tammy
I had to make it just because I couldn’t believe it could even taste like cake. Beans, really? Well let me tell you it was delicious.it’s better than a regular cake. Unbelievable. And to top it off it has nutritional value lol
erika
Love it, thank you for the review Tammy!
Ysabel
OK THAT WAS AMAZING!!!! I made it for my siblings and didn’t tell them there was beans in it and they had no clue! I used the frosting recipe you suggested only I used half butter half cream cheese :))
I think next time I make it I’ll use orange infused olive oil bc we love chocolate orange things!
Thanks for this amazing recipe!
🙂
erika
That sounds amazing!! Haha I’m so glad your siblings loved it!
clo
My go to recipe. Love how easy to make in a blender, stays so moist and flavor is perfect. Favorite recipe of all fime
Ko
I’m not the best baker and would love your help! My cake turned out eggy.. it tasted really good but the texture was off. The batter was liquidy not sure why. The only thing i did differently was lessening the sugar by 20g and whipped up the butter thinking it would add more fluffiness.
erika
Did you drain and rinse the beans? I’ve tried making this cake with aquafaba (extra liquid from the beans) and it turned out rather beany/eggy tasting. I’d make sure the beans are as clean and dry as possible when making this cake–that slight reduction in sugar and whipped butter shouldn’t cause the batter to be extra liquidy.
Ko
I made the recipe again. This time really drying the beans! I used paper towels and left it on the table for awhile to dry it out. The batter was still quite liquidy but it turned out more like a cake and how it looks in your video. Thank you!
erika
Oh good so glad to hear it!
Uma Fa
Great recipe! My grandpa was so surprised when I told him the cake was based on black beans (: I made half of the recipe and cut the cake horizontally, filled it with plum-amaretto jam and topped with a chocolate ganache. It was good! Thank you for sharing.
erika
Aww so sweet! Glad you enjoyed!!
Isabelle
Black beans almost undetectable and pairs well with chocolate frosting
Sandy
Why does my cake turn out too wet and sticks to the mould?
erika
Did you thoroughly rinse and drain the beans? Any extra liquid could cause the cake to be a bit wet!
Alex
Can I replace the beans with other kind (canned pink beans) for example?
erika
I haven’t tried but I suspect that should be totally fine!
Siew-Yee
Love this cake!
This is an amazing cake. it’s very convenient as the ingredients are so readily available. I weigh the beans and find that 301 g usually required more than one tin.
By the way, does this cake need to “rest” overnight? One other recipe I tried didn’t taste right till it had sat overnight.
Your cake is a keeper. Since stumbling on this recipe via Emmymade a few weeks ago, I’ve made it 5-6 times. Thank you for sharing!
erika
I’m so glad to hear you like it! I haven’t found that it needs to rest overnight.
Kristine Osborn
Could you use Splenda baking blend (50/50) Splenda/sugar in place of the sugar or would it effect the texture of the cake?
erika
I believe people have used sugar substitutes successfully with no adverse effects to the texture!
Meghan
This recipe is always delicious but I don’t always get consistent results- sometimes it turns out soft and fluffy (but still very moist) almost like regular chocolate cake, and other times it’s kind of wet or has a more “beany” texture, though still has a good rise. I’ve made it several times, and use an immersion blender to mix. Any advice on get the fluffier texture every time?
erika
Are you using different size eggs or different brands of beans? I suspect a larger volume of eggs will help get a fluffier texture. I also think that if you rinse off more of the residual liquid from the can, that will help reduce the wet/beany texture–not sure if you feel you’re doing that consistently!
Reena Ravindra
should I discard the water in which I have cooked the black beans.or do I blend the beans together with the water
erika
Discard the water–you just want the cooked beans!
Reena Ravindra
tq
Susan
What an incredible cake!! I’m in awe of how the taste and texture are like a regular cake.
Fantastic!
erika
So glad you enjoyed!!
Gabby
Just made this, it turned out really good! I only used 1/2 cup of sugar, sprinkled some dark chocolate chips on top, and used dark cocoa powder in the batter. So light and decadent. Thank you for the recipe.
erika
Yay! Thanks for reporting back with your changes!