Black Bean Brownie Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting & Mini Eggs

If you have followed me for any time, you know I’m a huge fan of canned beans. They are one of my favourite pantry staple items! If you have never tried my black bean brownie cake, you’re in for a real treat (literally & figuratively).

Tip: I find the easiest way to crush mini eggs is to hit the unopened bag (or place eggs in a resealable bag) with a rolling pin. For this recipe, I like the eggs to be roughly crushed (as seen in pictures below) – so you can see the fab pastel colours of the eggs. Great way to let out frustration too…hahaha!! Place bag on a tea towel (on countertop or flat surface) then hit the bag a few times with rolling pin (the tea towel will protect your countertop).

Black Bean Brownie Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (540 mL/19oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup (60 mL) softened butter
• 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
• ½ cup (125 mL) quality cocoa powder
• ½ cup (125 mL) dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup (125 mL) brown sugar
• ¼ cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2 mL) salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
2. Place beans in a bowl of food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until roughly chopped.
3. Add eggs, butter, and vanilla and pulse until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides of the bowl when needed.
4. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until batter is very well combined.
5. Pour batter into a 9-inch round cake pan (or springform pan) lined with parchment paper and greased on sides.
6. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until edges are set and center is slightly jiggly.
7. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 6 oz (180 g) cream cheese, softened (about ¾ ‘s of a brick of cream cheese)
• ¼ cup (60 mL) icing sugar
• ½ cup (125 mL) 35% whipping cream
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• ½ cup (125 mL) Mini Eggs, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Beat together cream cheese and icing sugar on high speed for about one minute until light and fluffy.
2. In a separate bowl, beat cream until still peaks form.
3. Add cream cheese mixture to bowl with whipped cream. Add vanilla and salt. Beat until just combined.
4. Fold approximately half of the crushed mini eggs into the cream mixture. Dollop mixture over cake in a rustic mound – leaving about 1-inch of cake showing. Garnish top with remaining roughly chopped mini eggs.
5. Makes 8 servings