Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake
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This Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake recipe is possibly the BEST chocolate cake you’ve ever had. Incredibly rich, moist, and delicious, it’s also naturally gluten free!
Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake.  No flour, just quinoa and almonds.  100% gluten free. And quite possibly THE best chocolate cake you’ve ever had! “Nuh-uh” you say. Trust me on this. At least enough to make and try it. And I’m confident after your first bite you’ll declare it one of the richest, most flavorful, delicious chocolate cakes you’ve ever had.
This recipe comes by way of request several years ago from Elizabeth Ray (Make a Request!).  She wrote:  “Quinoa Chocolate Cake. I was at a cafe in Wasagaming, just outside Riding Mountain National Park. We had this cake for desert. It was very, very good! Moist, but not overly so, and not so sweet that you NEEDED coffee to help you finish it. You might still want it of course. It had a thin layer of icing, almost a glaze, but not quite. but the cake itself was remarkable, held together nicely without being mushy. It was one layer only, but we didn’t mind. It was enough, but not too much. This is starting to sound a lot like the three bears story, isn’t it?”  I was tickled by this charming description as well as excited by the idea of a chocolate quinoa cake.  I had already developed a couple of cakes using quinoa earlier that summer, including my popular Honey Olive Quinoa Cake, so I was pretty amped up to give this request a go.
Unlike my Honey Olive Quinoa Cake which is moist but fairly dense, the description of this chocolate quinoa cake brought to mind a very different image. Â As I visualized the final outcome, what actually came to mind was something along the lines of Julia Child’s fabulous Reine de Saba (chocolate almond cake). Â I wanted a cake that was rich and moist but also delicate. Â I wanted a cake that wasn’t overly sweet but had full depth of flavor. Â And then there was the description of an almost glaze-like icing. Â So with those parameters in mind, I got to work.
While Elizabeth’s request didn’t include almond, I love the combination of chocolate and almonds.  It really amplified the chocolate. And it adds an element of elegance.  The ground almonds add texture and airiness to the cake as do the beaten egg whites, providing more “lift”.
I was absolutely floored by the end result.  And I mean f.l.o.o.r.e.d.!  The texture and flavor is out-of-this-world!  Gluten free Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake.  Elizabeth Ray, thank you for putting in your request and giving me the challenge and opportunity to develop a cake that has become a family favorite! In the words of my husband who has never been a big cake lover (until he married me) and is a self-declared “pie man” (not a big fan of cake): “This is the best cake I’ve ever had.”
Our then 1 1/2 year-old daughter felt the same way. She had a big smile on her face with every bite; and I had to smile too knowing that each bite was packed with nutritious quinoa!
Our son’s response was a little less enthusiastic. His response to a serving of this cake was sticking his head inside a flower pot.
You learn not to take anything food-related personally – not with a 3 year old. Fast forward time, I’m happy to report that he now love this cake as much as the rest of us.
Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake Recipe
Let’s get started!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×2 or 9×3 inch round cake pan. (I use and love Parrish Magic Line, made in the USA from hand-forged aluminum.)
Note: Â If you tend to have bad luck with cakes sticking to the pan, you can also use parchment paper. Cut a circle out of parchment paper to snugly line the bottom of the cake pan, then our the batter over it.
Cook the quinoa while you’re preparing the other ingredients.  To cook the quinoa, thoroughly rinse about 1/3 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve (this removes the saponin, a natural coating on quinoa’s outer layer that is bitter and soapy tasting).  Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with double the amount of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let sit another 5 minutes, still covered.  Fluff with a fork.
Combine the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Add the unsweetened cocoa powder and stir to combine.
Add the ground almonds and stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine the cooled cooked quinoa, egg yolks, milk, butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Place it in a blender and blend until very smooth.
The result will be a thick, pale paste.
Place the quinoa batter in a large mixing bowl.
Add the sugar cocoa mixture and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to combine.
 
Beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy, add the cream of tartar, and continue to beat until the egg whites are satiny and stiff peaks form. Â Be careful not to over-beat.
These are what stiff peaks look like. Â When you lift the beaters out of the mixture the peaks will stand up and curl over at the tip, but remain firm.
Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the egg whites, half at a time.
We want the egg whites to provide some “lift” and airiness to the cake. Â Don’t over-stir, just fold them in and white swirls will remain in the batter.
Pour the batter into the cake pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan for 10 minutes before removing. Â Use a butter knife to carefully push the edges slightly towards the center to gently loosen the bottom of the cake.
Very carefully invert the cake onto a plate and then invert it back onto a cake platter, top side up. Â The cake will be slightly sunken in the middle as it cools, don’t worry, that’s normal for this cake.
Prepare the Chocolate Almond Glaze:
Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Pour the glaze around the top of the cake, and around the top edges so the glaze oozes down the sides. Â Use a knife to guide the glaze and spread it evenly over the cake. Â You’ll need to work fairly fast as the glaze dries quickly.
Sprinkle with slivered or sliced almonds according to your decorative preferences.
Clean up the glaze blotches on the plate with a wet paper towel or cloth. Â You don’t want to transfer the cake again to a clean plate – it likely won’t be able to withstand another move without falling apart.
This cake cuts beautifully. So rich and moist!
Let’s coax that luscious slice of cake out of its chocolate sphere…
 
Gorgeous.
 
Enjoy!
I promise you will!
Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake (GF)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa , loosely packed
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 cup butter , melted
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup fine almond flour
- For Chocolate Almond Glaze:
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons butter , melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- Slivered almonds for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x2 inch round cake pan.
- Place the cooked quinoa in a blender along with the milk, egg yolks, vanilla extract, almond extract, butter and coconut oil. Blend until smooth.In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a rubber spatula, stir the quinoa mixture into the sugar mixture until combined. Stir in the ground almonds.In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean but moist.Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a plate and then carefully inverting it again (top side up) onto a cake platter to cool completely.
- To make the Chocolate Almond Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the completely cooled cake, spread evenly over top and sides of cake. Immediately sprinkle with the slivered almonds. Allow the glaze to dry before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 3, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
