There are more and more people who take care of their diet and who want to do without some foods that are not good for them, and they also decide to eat gluten or lactose-free sponge cake. Furthermore, other foods, such as white sugar, are completely unnecessary in any person’s diet as they are unhealthy.
In this article, we explain how to prepare a delicious chocolate sponge cake in a simple way and with exceptional ingredients that do not include flour, sugar, or dairy products.
Flour
Today our diet is mainly based on flour. In every meal of the day, we find a dish that contains: bread, pasta, pizza, crêpes, sponge cake, biscuits, etc.
Not only do people with celiac disease need to avoid flour because of the gluten it contains, but others would also want to have equally good alternatives to replace it from time to time. In this case, we will replace the flour with chickpeas, although it may surprise you.
Chickpea flour is well known in some cultures and in this case, we will use cooked chickpeas, which bring great nutritional and protein value to the recipe. It’s a delicious way to eat chickpeas!
Dairy products
In addition to lactose-intolerant people, many others want to avoid dairy products because of their cholesterol content, because they generate mucus, skin problems, and allergies.
For this recipe, you don’t need milk, yogurt, or butter, which is why you’ll get a sponge cake that’s easier to digest and healthier.
Sugar
White sugar may very well be avoided in our diet. Numerous studies have shown that it is a kind of poison that demineralizes and acidifies the body and that, due to the abundant consumption we make of it during the day, worsens our state of health.
In this recipe, we will replace it with the natural sweetener stevia, but you can also use honey or agave syrup, as they are both healthy alternatives.
Protein-rich sponge cake
Usually, the sponge cake is rich in flour and sugar, but this is instead rich in protein thanks to the chickpeas and eggs it contains, making it very nutritious without making you fat. Indeed, it is an ideal snack for breakfast or a snack, or even if you want to indulge in a satiating and low-fat dessert.
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It is also ideal for children and sports enthusiasts, and the best part is that you won’t even notice that it is made from chickpeas.
Ingredients for the sponge cake
- 500 grams of cooked chickpeas (you can use those that sell in cans already boiled or cook them yourself without salt)
- 2 cups of bitter chocolate to be melted, without sugar or lactose, or the same quantity in the proportion of pure cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of liquid stevia (tasteless and transparent in color) or 100 grams of bee honey or agave syrup
- Half a tablespoon of baking powder
- 2 handfuls of peeled and chopped walnuts
- Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, vanilla essence (optional)
Preparation of the sponge cake
Preparation is very quick and easy. You just have to follow the following steps.
- Preheat the oven to 180º C.
- In case you use chocolate to melt, do it in a bain-marie.
- Beat the eggs and add the chickpeas. Mix everything well until you get a homogeneous consistency. With a blender, everything will be faster.
- Add the sweetener you have chosen and also the baking powder.
- Finally, add the melted chocolate or cocoa and chopped nuts.
- If you want, you can add some spices to cover even more the flavor of the chickpeas, which is already attenuated by the chocolate or to give a touch of different flavor every time you prepare them: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, vanilla essence, zest ‘orange, etc.
- Prepare a mold, grease it with oil, and flour it.
- Put the mixture in the oven for 40 minutes at 180º C. Then, take it out and let it cool.
Images courtesy of Xavi Talleda, Uwe Hermann, and Olya Sanakoev
