Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Directions

1. 1
   Prepare the Frosting
2. 2
   I recommend preparing the frosting the day before to assure it has enough time to firm up properly. In a saucepan, add the entire bag of dark chocolate chips and the full can of coconut milk. *If using dairy chocolate chips please see notes in the body of the post.* Warm the saucepan over medium heat, until the coconut milk and chocolate melt together.
3. 3
   Whisk until smooth and transfer to a large bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature on the counter then cover and refrigerate until firm, usually at least 6-hours, ideally overnight.
4. 4
   Once it is firm, remove from the refrigerator and beat on high for thirty seconds to one minute, until a fluffy icing has formed. You can taste test to see if you would like to add a little vanilla extract or pure maple syrup for flavor. Be careful not to add too much or it will make the frosting runny.
5. 5
   Prepare the Quinoa Cake
6. 6
   Preheat the oven to 350°F and then line two round cake pans (I used 6-inch but 8-inch pans will also work) with parchment paper. You can also make a single layer cake in a 9x13-inch pan.
7. 7
   In a large bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. 
8. 8
   In a blender, combine the cooked (and cooled) quinoa, eggs, almond milk (or preferred milk), vanilla extract, melted and cooled butter and melted and cooled coconut oil. Blend on high until smooth, scraping down the sides and blending again, if necessary.
9. 9
   Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and fold together until well-combined. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30 minutes.
10. 10
    Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
11. 11
    Carefully transfer the cakes to a surface for icing with the bottom side up. Depending on the type of blender and cake pan size you use, I recommend that you only transfer the cakes once as they can be fragile and difficult to hold together. If you made a 9x13-inch cake, I recommend frosting and serving it from the pan.
12. 12
    Frost the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. The icing will melt in really warm conditions but should be fine for a few hours in cooler settings. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.