Chocolate Bean Cake

1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
1 cup canned fava (or northern) beans, drained
1/2 cup green or unripe tomato, pureed (you can sub 1/2 cup diced tomato - canned, drained)
4 eggs
1 t cherry flavoring
2 T cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
3 T cocoa powder
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda

Preheat oven to 350*f. Grease 8 inch square pan. (Personally, I make cupcakes).

Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a large bowl to beat separately. (This step may be eliminated, but it makes a far lighter cake.) If you wish, add the eggs one at a time at the place I suggest adding the yolks. Beat after each addition.

In a food processor (I use my blender actually - holds more), puree the beans with the tomato puree until very smooth. Add the egg yolks and beat until smooth. Add cherry flavoring.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Add to the egg mix and beat only until well blended. If whipping eggs separately, beat only until soft peaks form, and fold gently into batter.

Spoon into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes (less with cupcakes) or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm or cool, garnished with whipped topping, or frost with your favorite icing.

Makes 9 servings.

Nutrients per serving: calories 220, fat 3g, cholesterol 85 mg, sodium 140mg, carbohydrates 42g, protein 7g.

Recipe is from "Gluten Free Gourmet Makes Dessert" by Bette Hagman. (No special ingredients section of the book, page 350)

This cake is worth the effort - it's REALLY REALLY good and unless you tell folks it was gluten free - no one will ever know. . . they just liked how moist and chocolate -y it was. . . .

has a tendency to flop in oven - so frosting it is a good idea, though to make the top look better when serving to guests. I usually make a sour cream or cream cheese frosting for it ('cause I just like cream cheese *grin*)