Raw Brownie Cake with a Chocolate Avocado Frosting

Remember Valentine’s Day? I reneged on my promise to make dessert. Rob had no problem coming up with an alternative. In fact, he was happy when I said I didn’t have the time to make my dessert of choice. He had already planned the whole meal!

The week post-V-Day is always special for us because we celebrate Rob’s birthday and our anniversary, so I eventually made my planned dessert, too. Our stash of avocados were perfectly ripe and could I really ignore an excuse to try out a new coconut flour-based dessert?

I cobbled together a delicious dessert from a few places. The base is inspired by Emma’s Raw Brownies but I topped it with a chocolate avocado frosting, based on my chocolate avocado mousse. To get a firm frosting, I used juicy Medjool dates as the sweetener (with a dash of agave only because I ran out of dates) along with a touch of lemon juice to balance the flavours. Next time, I might try a spiced version with cinnamon and cardamom again (like in my mousse).

Because I smushed this into a springform pan, this is more like a brownie cake. The brownie was delicious and it was amazingly fudgy and moist for a raw/no-cook dessert. Unlike my walnut-based raw brownie, this was lighter in texture due to the coconut flour (but more fudgy than my raw chocolate zucchini muffin). Plus the frosting just sealed the deal: delicious decadence. I highly recommend this. Although make no mistake, this is a decadent and filling treat.

This is my submission to this month’s Four Seasons Food, Dead Easy Desserts and Tea Time Treats.

PS. Here’s a shout-out to my Mom who got me a small off-set spatula. Which I totally used to frost the brownies. 🙂

PPS. Have you entered my giveaway for No Meat Athlete yet?

Raw Brownie Cake with a Chocolate Avocado Frosting

Raw Brownies

1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup apple purée (from 3/4 of an apple)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup cashew flour
Pinch of salt

Chocolate Avocado Frosting

2 small avocados (180g flesh)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp raw almond butter
5 large pitted Medjool dates (soaked if dry)
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice (optional, still good without it)
2 tbsp non-dairy milk
pinch salt

1. I made my apple puree first, so take an apple and process in a food processor fitted with its S-blade until smooth. Add water, vanilla, maple syrup and pulse until combined. Add cocoa powder, coconut flour, cashew flour and salt and pulse until combined and fully incorporated. It should be thick and come together. Spread mixture into a 6″ non-stick springform pan (or equivalent [lined] container) and press to flatten. Place in refrigerator.

2. Meanwhile, make your frosting. In a blender with a damper (a food processor may work too, although not tested), place avocado flesh, cocoa powder, almond butter, dates, agave, lemon juice and salt. Adjust sweetness to taste. Add non-dairy milk to thin if it is too thick. This will depend on the dryness of your dates, so play it by ear. I added 2 tbsp.

3. Frost cake prior to serving. Store in fridge.

Serves 4-6.