Daring Bakers! Chocolate Avocado Cake

I'm struggling to find words for this post, for some reason. I guess it sort of mirrors my internal struggle of showing people that I care about them? If you've met me in person (or maybe you can just tell from my internet persona) you know that I'm not physically affectionate at all, and can initially come off as cold and standoffish. I admire from a distance those people who can dish out hugs like nobody's business, but that's not me. I basically need explicit permission from the other party for that sort of thing.

I even have a hard time verbally showing affection at times. I'm of the opinion that oftentimes people throw their words around too carelessly, causing them to lose meaning. There's rarely a time or place to stop a friend in the middle of whatever they're doing, look them dead in the eyes, and tell them how much you care about them without appearing either trite or creepy. I know that I over analyze most of what I say, oftentimes replaying conversations in my head and thinking about different ways that they could have turned out. 

So I have two major ways to cope: writing and making food. Paradoxically, sitting in a room alone with a piece of paper or my computer in front of me frequently allows me to feel closer to people than if we were standing in the same room. There's more time to carefully choose my words, construct my messages. Words can build a person up or tear them down, and I really do try to use the gift I have been given responsibly and positively. Making food is less complicated. The simple act of bringing someone some cookies when they're least expecting it, or a loaf of bread when they're having a rough time, brings so much joy. I can't count the number of times I've seen someone's face light up when presented with food I made for them, for no reason other than the fact that I care about them. They'll say, "You made this for me?" or "You're sharing this cake? Giving it away just because?" Yep. But not just because. It's because I like you, I think you're an incredible person and you bring happiness to my life. If you're sitting here reading this, thinking, "She couldn't possibly be talking about me", well, you're wrong. I'm talking to all of you who have shared a meal with me, who have made me laugh or confided in me, indulged in my habit of watching craptastic sci-fi movies, shared your favorite songs and books...and eaten my food. Whether it be in person or through a recipe I've posted. Thank you for letting me share with you. 

Ruth from Makey-Cakey was our March 2013 Daring Bakers’ challenge host. She encouraged us all to get experimental in the kitchen and sneak some hidden veggies into our baking, with surprising and delicious results!

For my Daring Bakers post, I knew pretty early on that I wanted to use avocados, because I love them dearly and I had to redeem myself after making a horrible avocado pie. Yeah, I know avocado isn't technically a vegetable, but neither are a lot of things considered veggies, such as peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, etc. This cake doesn't use avocado for flavor, but as a replacement for eggs and most of the fat. It's incredible, I've made it twice in the past few weeks, and absolutely no one thought there was anything weird about it. 

Chocolate Avocado Cake 

adapted from sugary & buttery  

For the cake:  
1 cup (120 g) flour  
1/2 cu / 60 g ground almonds
3 tablespoons cocoa powder  
100g dark chocolate, chopped  
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt  
1 avocado, mashed
3/4 or 1 cup / 200 g brown sugar  
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil  
1 tablespoon lemon juice  
1 cup / 200 ml milk
For the glaze:  
100 g dark chocolate  
2 tablespoons butter  
4 tablespoons milk  
1-2 teaspoons vanilla

I used a weird shaped pan, like a 7x10, but I think an 8-9 round or square would work fine too. Mix together the flour, almonds, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Then, heat up the milk in a sauce pan on medium heat and add the chopped dark chocolate, the sugar and the butter (or vegetable oil). When the chocolate is melted, pour the mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Now add the mashed avocado and the lemon juice.
Fill the batter in the greased cake form and bake on 180°C/350°F for about 25-30 minutes.
When the cake is done, take it out of the form and let it cool down. Then, flip it over on a plate to get the sharp edges of the cake bottom up - it makes the cake look nicer.  For the glaze, heat the butter and the milk on medium heat and add the chopped dark chocolate. Once the chocolate is melted and the glaze is shiny and creamy, it's ready to go on the cake. Start in the middle of the cake and carefully push the glaze to the edges until it slightly runs down on the sides.