Prep Time: Chocolate brownie layer (15-20 mins)/ Vanilla sponge layer (15 mins)
Mini Vegan Avocado Chocolate Brownie & Vanilla Sponge Cakes
Cook Time: Chocolate brownie layer (20-25 mins)/ Vanilla sponge layer (30 mins)
Total Time: Approx. 2 hrs with additional time for frosting
Chocolate Brownie Layer
The vegan chocolate avocado brownie layer is melt-in-the-mouth good - use as a stand-alone recipe or combine with our vegan vanilla sponge recipe below to make beautifully contrasting mini dessert cakes.
Rather than use whole avocados, we've used Love Cocoa's Dark Vegan Avocado Chocolate bar made with 100% Natural Organic Hass Avocado Pulp Powder from the best avocados in the world in Michoacán Mexico, combined with our delicious Dark chocolate from Ecuador. The avocado has all the same great taste, smell, colour, texture, vitamins, minerals (and oils) of the original fruit and adds a gorgeous, rich, creamy texture to the brownies.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tbsp sunflower oil
- 100g Love Cocoa Vegan Avocado Chocolate
- 85g self-raising flour
- 1 ½ large tsp cocoa powder
- 90g golden caster sugar
- Pinch of sea salt
- ½ vanilla pod
- 115 ml unsweetened organic soya milk
Method
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease a square baking tin (~20cm) with oil, then line with greaseproof baking paper.
- Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water – don’t let the base touch the water. Break 75g of chocolate into the bowl and allow it to melt/ set aside to cool slightly. Alternatively put the chocolate in a microwave for 2 minutes, checking every 30s.
- Whilst the chocolate cools, sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl, stir in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Scrape out the seeds of a vanilla pod, cut lengthways, and add to the bowl. Stir in the oil, soya milk and melted chocolate until combined.
- Roughly chop the remainder of the chocolate, pour out the mixture and place chocolate chunks on top.
- Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the sides slightly come off the edges of the tin. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack.
Vanilla Sponge Layer
If you fancy keeping your brownies simple then ignore this section, but this vegan vanilla sponge recipe works delightfully with the chocolate brownie layer - the hints of vanilla in each combine perfectly, the sponge adding a lightness & delightful visual contrast to the overall dessert.
Ingredients
- 125g plain flour
- 125g golden caster sugar
- ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 125ml unsweetened organic soya milk
- 30g coconut oil (melted)
- 1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease a square baking tin (~20cm) with oil, then line with greaseproof paper
- Combine all dry ingredients, mix together with a whisk.
- Mix all the wet ingredients and pour into the dry. Mix together lightly, then pour cake batter in tin.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is golden and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack.
Icings
Love Cocoa have combined two icings for the middle and top layers, but you can mix & match as you please. The vegan chocolate buttercream adds a wonderfully creamy texture, whilst the subtle taste of the avocado mascarpone icing injects the cakes with a lovely freshness.
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients
- 280g organic powdered sugar
- 125g raw cocoa powder
- 225g organic palm shortening or vegan butter
- 110-170g almond, cashew or coconut milk
- 2tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Add all ingredients to bowl and mix lightly for 30 seconds. Once the ingredients have started to combine, slowly increase the speed to high and blend for 1 minute.
- To thin the consistency if needed, add more milk, or to thicken, add more powdered sugar.
Vegan Avocado Icing
Ingredients
- 4tbsp mashed avocado
- 125g icing sugar
Method
- Mash the avocado in a medium bowl until smooth, then stir or blend in the icing sugar. Add a splash of milk if needed to achieve your desired consistency.
- Cover in the fridge until cakes are cool and ready to be frosted.
And that's it! Arrange your components as you see fit - cut the brownie and sponge into squares. Love Cocoa combined a brownie and vanilla layer with a piped avocado icing layer in the middle and the chocolate buttercream on top. Decorate with some vegan crushed biscuits to add an extra crunch and of course some Love Cocoa avocado chocolate shaved or broken.
Here’s more information about Love Cocoa for you too:
Founded in 2016, Love Cocoa is an ethical chocolate startup, firmly fixed with British traditions, yet modern in their delivery. Love Cocoa aims to restore faith in British chocolate brands that may have been tapered - sourcing premium ingredients from independent British suppliers where possible, and donating 10% of their profits to charity.
Love Cocoa’s existing range of premium chocolate includes, Great Taste Award winners, Gin and Tonic, Maldon Sea Salt and English Mint. Other flavours include Honey & Honeycomb, Crushed Coffee and plain dark and milk versions, all handmade in the UK. Bars are stocked in Harvey Nichols, Fortnum & Mason and Planet Organic, amongst other retailers. Their full range can be found here www.lovecocoa.com. Love Cocoa also do chocolate subscriptions – all of which are posted through the letterbox along with a personalised card!