Can I use regular chocolate instead of dairy-free?

No — standard chocolate contains milk. Use certified dairy-free dark chocolate to keep the recipe dairy-free.

Why is avocado used in this brownie cake?

Avocado replaces butter and adds fat and moisture for a tender, fudgy texture while keeping the cake dairy-free.

Can I substitute pecans with another nut?

Yes — walnuts or almonds work equally well as a 1:1 swap.

How do I know when the cake is done?

A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Overbaking will dry it out.

Can this recipe be scaled up?

Yes — double all ingredients for a larger cake. Increase baking time by 5–10 minutes and check for doneness.

Dairy-Free Chocolate Pecan Brownie Cake

Name: Dairy-Free Chocolate Pecan Brownie Cake
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 400g of avocado, flesh only; 4 eggs; 1 vanilla pod; 2 tbsp of water; 200g of 70% dark chocolate, melted (make sure dairy-free); 170g of Dutch process cocoa powder; 100g of Demerara sugar, or brown sugar; 4 tbsp of rice flour; 1 tbsp of bicarbonate of soda; 2 tbsp of dark chocolate chips, (make sure dairy-free); 2 tbsp of pecan nuts, chopped; 1 pinch of coarse sea salt; 100g of dairy-free spread, plus extra for greasing; 200g of icing sugar; 1 tbsp of espresso coffee, chilled; 150g of 70% dark chocolate, (make sure dairy-free); 1 tbsp of water; 100g of pecan nuts, finely chopped; 50g of flaked almonds, toasted; 12 pecan nuts, halves

1

Preheat oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease two 8 inch cake tins with dairy-free spread

2

Add the avocado flesh to a food processor, then fold in eggs, vanilla and water. Blend all of the ingredients until creamy \n

3

Add the sugar, cocoa powder, rice flour, melted chocolate, pecans and chocolate chips. Stir together all of the ingredients, fold in the baking soda and stir until just combined

4

Transfer the mixture to your prepared tins, levelling out the top and spreading the mix out to the edges

5

Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean

6

Allow to cool completely before removing from the tins and placing on a cooling rack

7

Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream. Mix together the dairy-free spread and icing sugar, gently pour in the coffee and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth. Keep in the fridge until ready to use

8

Spread the buttercream over one of the cakes and place the remaining cake upside-down on top

9

To prepare the glaze, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Once melted, mix in 1 tbsp of water and allow to cool a little

10

Pour the chocolate glaze over the brownie cake, making sure it's evenly coated on all sides

11

Decorate the edges of the cake with chopped pecans and almonds, making sure you work quickly before the glaze sets

12

Top with halved pecans, allow to set and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. You can store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days if not serving immediately. Enjoy!