Chocolate and Tofu Cake

The name of my cake has probably already put off all those who hate tofu and made sceptical even some tofu fans. I must admit if you look for a rich, flour-less, sticky, fudge-like chocolate cake, click here to see my favourite one and don’t even bother trying today’s recipe. However, if you look for a light, refreshing chocolate dessert you can indulge in without feeling guilty, you should absolutely try it. As a big tofu fan I may be biased, but I think the tofu taste is absolutely imperceptible here.

I risked making this cake the day I wanted to have something in theory impossible, namely a healthy, low-fat, low-calorie and delicious chocolate cake. I think I have met the challenge, of course apart from the chocolate itself, which even though healthy when dark and rich in cocoa, will never be low-fat or low-calorie. The cake is barely sweet (put more sugar if you like very sweet cakes) and its smooth, light texture, somehow reminds one of a lighter cheesecake.

The butter can be omitted, but it adds a certain smoothness. Instant coffee is what I always put in my rich chocolate cake (recipe here) and in this one too. In fact, a small amount of coffee brings out the chocolate taste in a marvellous way without altering the taste. This cake is best when served very cold.

Before passing to the recipe part I would like to thank CG from the Cooking Gallery, who has honoured me with not one, not two, but three blog awards! I am very flattered and proud! Thank you CG!

Special equipment:
food processor or blender (necessary to mix the tofu)

Preparation: 1 hour+ at least 3 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (for a 10×15 cm baking tin for a 4 cm high cake or a smaller one if you want the cake to be thicker):

100 g dark chocolate (the best is 70% cocoa)
250 g silken (soft) tofu, drained
3 eggs
(3 tablespoon butter)
5 tablespoons agave syrup, sugar or any other syrup
(a handful of chopped walnuts)
1 flat tablespoon instant coffee

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Melt the chocolate and the butter.
Put everything in a food processor and mix thoroughly (it’s important to mix the tofu very well).
Combine with the walnuts.
Line the baking tin with baking paper and pour the cake mixture.
Bake about 40 minutes.
Take the cake out the oven, let it cool down and afterwards keep in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Serve very cold, straight from the fridge.

17 Replies to “Chocolate and Tofu Cake”

  1. This sounds extremely delicious. I like tofu! I have tried yogurt and chocolate and its great. This should be similar. Also coffee and chocolate is great. I will try to attempt something similar this week…can’t wait to try.

    1. Thank you! I’m looking forward to see how it turns out! I hope you’ll enjoy the tofu and chocolate combination!

        1. I don’t know why I had this strange idea 😉 I have probably broken all the major rules of the food photography (which I almost completely ignore).

  2. Yum yum yum! Sissi, I am not much of a baker, but this recipe has really peaked my interest! I am an avid tofu fan, but never had a cake made with it before, I am also a lover of cheesecake, sounds like the texture of your cake will be something I won’t be able to only have 1 slice of! Must try it soon!

    1. Jeno, I am very happy you are interested in making it. I hope you won’t be disappointed. The tofu use instead of the flour creates a very unusual, soft texture. I hope I am not the only tofu cake fan!

  3. This is indeed a very interesting combination…! I’ve never tried something like this, but I would definitely give it a try when it’s right in front of me, I just have this gut feeling that both combined together could taste good, after all tofu is quite neutral so I doubt it’s going to ruin the chocolate taste of the cake. You always come up with such creative recipes, good on you…:D)!!

    1. Thank you for such a compliment 🙂 The necessity is the mother of invention! I cannot indulge in standard chocolate cakes as much as I would like, alas, so I had to try something!
      I completely understand you. I know certain people who don’t like tofu and would never want to try anything containing tofu (even though it doesn’t change the taste). On the other hand, the tofu does diminish the chocolate taste! (The butter is better to preserve the flavours of course!).

  4. This is the healthiest recipe I have seen for a chocolate cake…no sugar either. Being a vegetarian, I absolutely love tofu, as it can be used in a million ways in a recipe.

    I’m going to try this today and will let you know how I get on. I wonder if we can make tofu brownies with maybe a bit of chickpeas or similar thrown in for a bit more bite and texture??

    I am going to be a regular here….loved your blog.

    1. Shilpa, thank you for the compliments and welcome to my blog! I have discovered agave syrup a long time ago, but stopped buying it since it was very expensive. Since the price is very reasonable now, I use it whenever I can (whenever the sugar isn’t necessary for a specific texture, caramelisation or taste), hoping it’s healthier and doesn’t make me gain weight. I love tofu, even though I am not a vegetarian (I hope my meat dishes will not put you off my blog). I have it almost every day (the firm one especially). Recently I started experimenting with silken tofu desserts and find it substitutes quite well the flour and/or the butter. It doesn’t always work though.
      I am happy you want to try making it. I have never tested it with chickpeas, but I am sure you can modify it as you wish. You can add maybe almonds? The only thing I’m afraid of is that it will never have a typical brownie texture 🙁 It is rather something between a flan and a cheesecake (hence my advice to serve it cold). Let me know how it turned out! I keep my fingers crossed. If you have any other questions, write to me!

      1. It did turn out very good. Infact, more like a cheesecake – we really enjoyed. I added the zest of an orange a bit of orange juice as well (am obsessed with oranges at the moment). Infact, like a baked cheesecake…everyone had seconds too – so, it did go down very well. Thanks.

        Will experiment with chickpeas and let you know too. Like adding liquid glucose to a cookie mixtures makes it goey, I am hoping to add that to the chickpea brownie mixture and see if has the same effect. Will let you know.

        1. Shilpa, thank you for letting me know how it turned out. I am so happy you enjoyed it! I always put a bit of walnuts inside to have a slightly crunchy side, but try to add as little high-calorie ingredients as possible here to keep the “diet” side 😉 The orange zest sounds like a wonderful idea! I must try it one day with orange juice too. I am very curious how your chickpea brownie will taste like. I once wanted to buy liquid glucose but haven’t found it. I needed it for a recipe, but didn’t know it made things goey. I love goey cakes and cookies. Thank you for this interesting tip and most of all thank you for sharing your experience with my cake. I am so happy you have made it and enjoyed it!

  5. Hi Sissi! I love coming here because you always have something fun/yummy/unique recipes waiting for me! I actually have seen desserts that have tofu in it. Well I haven’t made any myself…but I think it’s healthy choice to increase volume by tofu! You did a great job making it look like far from healthy. I love the look of “chocolate” cake! Haha. Wonderful recipe as always Sissi!

    1. Thank you Nami! I am glad you think it doesn’t look like a healthy cake. It’s a huge compliment 🙂 I am sorry you and your family are still ill.

  6. Hi! I tried out this recipe recently, after reading the description and all the comments it sounded like it would make a great “soy cheesecake” or “chocolate mousse” pie so I baked it in a pie pan with a chocolate cookie crust and WOW it was really amazing! Thanks so much for the great recipe, and here’s a pic of how it looked: http://instagram.com/p/l_48y4nxLe/#

    1. Hi, thank you so much for your kind comment! I am thrilled to learn you have enjoyed this healthier version of a chocolate cake (not everyone does!). I have just checked your photograph. Your pie looks gorgeous and a cookie crust addition is a very creative idea! You have reminded me I haven’t made this cake for ages… Thanks again for this kind message. (Do you also have your own blog? With such beautiful photographs and baking skills I hope you do!).

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