Makes 2 x 8-inch rounds or 2 thinner 9-inch rounds
•3 cups all-purpose flour
•6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•2 teaspoons baking soda
•2 cups brown sugar
•1/4 cup vegetable oil
•1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado
•2 cups water
•2 Tablespoons white vinegar
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180C. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch tins. Set aside.
2. Sift together all of the dry ingredients except the sugar. Set that aside too.
3. Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl, including the super mashed avocado.
4. Add sugar into the wet mix and stir.
5. Mix the wet with the dry all at once, and beat with a whisk (by hand) until smooth.
6. Pour batter into greased cake tins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely before frosting with avocado buttercream.
Avocado Buttercream Frosting
•about 2 small to medium, very ripe avocados
•2 teaspoons lemon juice
•500g powdered sugar, sifted
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Peel and pit the soft avocados. It’s important to use the ripest avocados you can get your hands on. If the avocados have brown spots in the meat, cut out those spots. Smash the avocado meat up. Show it who is boss. Imagine your most loathed colleague or the neighbour that plays the music very loudly late at night or the one that uses their leaf blower at 7am on a weekend. The avocado needs to be beaten into submission and as smooth as possible.
2. Place the avocado meat and lemon juice into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment. Whisk the avocado on medium speed, until slightly lightened in color and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
Avocado buttercream
3. Add the sifted icing/powdered sugar a spoonful at a time and beat. Add vanilla extract until combined. If not using right away, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. And I know your next question-it won’t turn brown!
