Recipe: Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake

Be My Secret Valentine

Happy Valentine’s Day! 🌹

Even when you’re indulging in something as wonderful as chocolate cake, you can still embrace a fresh approach to baking—sneaking in a little nourishment while treating your sweetie and your body with love.

This single-layer chocolate torte with a hint of boozy whipped cream is a cherished recipe from my cooking show, The Wheatland Cafe on CTV, Canada’s national news network. I first showcased it for Valentine’s Day back in 2022, and it also earned a spot in my debut cookbook, Taste: Seasonal Dishes from a Prairie Table. When I went on my first cross-Canada book tour, I served samples of this moist, decadent cake at signings. One bite was often all it took to sell the book!

This recipe offers a fresh approach to chocolate cake—combining wholesome ingredients with rich, indulgent flavour. It’s proof that you can enjoy a luscious dessert without sacrificing nourishment.

The Secret Ingredient?

Red lentils are the surprising star of this rich chocolate cake. They bring moisture and tenderness without a trace of their flavour. It’s important to use split red lentils (not whole) because they cook down quickly into a smooth, creamy base—a quality that makes them so wonderful in soups and, as it turns out, cake!

Another secret? Coffee. It amplifies the chocolate flavour, giving the cake a deeper, more complex taste. Plant-based milk works beautifully if you prefer a dairy-free alcohol-free version.

Frost as desired, or keep it simple with a dusting of icing sugar or dark cocoa. Finish with a dollop of Tia Maria whipped cream for a little grown-up indulgence.

Have a delicious Valentine’s today! After all, good food is one of the purest forms of love. 🍰💞

Recipe: The Secret Ingredient Chocolate Cake

Makes one 9” cake (double the recipe to make a layer cake)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ cup soft butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 oz (by weight) dark chocolate, melted and cooled

½ cup pureed red lentils (recipe below)

1 cup coffee, or milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the red lentils (see below) and let cool. Melt the chocolate and let cool.

Grease a 9” cake tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla followed by the eggs, one at time, mixing well after each addition. On low speed add in the melted chocolate and the pureed lentils. Mix well. Add the flour mixture alternately with the coffee in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

Transfer to the prepared pan and bake about 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes before removing the cake to cool on a wire rack. Frost as desired or serve with a dusting of icing sugar or powdered cocoa and top with a dollop of Tia Maria Whipped Cream (see below)

Pureed Red Lentils

In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup rinsed split red lentils, 1 ½ cups water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer about 30 minutes. Lentils will be very soft and look like a puree. Transfer mixture to a fine mesh sieve and strain to remove any husks or hard bits. Measure out ½ cup for the cake. The remainder can be used in mashed potatoes or hummus.

Tia Maria Whipped Cream

Whisk together on high speed, 1 ½ cup 35% cream, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and 1 tbsp Tia Maria liqueur. Mix until medium stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to serve. If you prefer a plant-based whipped cream, try using coconut cream or aqua faba (the drained liquid from canned chickpeas). Most grocery stores also carry plant-based whipped cream as well.

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With gratitude,
CJ

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