Black Beans and Chocolate Breakfast Cake

Name: Black Beans and Chocolate Breakfast Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1½ cups (360 ml) black beans, drained and rinsed, drained from a 15 oz (425 g) can, rinsed thoroughly; 5 oz (140 g) dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 3 whole large eggs, at room temperature; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking soda; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon; 1 tsp (3 g) instant espresso powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water, just off the boil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A Latin American–inspired breakfast cake that marries dark chocolate and espresso with creamy black beans for a naturally moist, fudgy crumb. Cinnamon adds warmth while the beans provide body without a trace of earthiness. Dense and satisfying, it's perfect with coffee or hot chocolate.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 1 cake (8 slices)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Steps

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the middle.
Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round or 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) square cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Have all eggs at room temperature for even mixing.

1
Prepare the bean purée
- Add the rinsed black beans to a food processor or blender with the hot water.
- Pulse until you have a smooth, thick paste with no visible whole beans.
- The mixture should resemble pudding.
- Set aside.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is completely smooth with no chunks
Tip: Don't overprocess into a watery slurry; you want a thick paste. The water helps soften and blend the beans without adding too much liquid.
2
Melt chocolate and butter
- Place the chopped dark chocolate and softened butter in a medium bowl.
- Set it over a pot of barely simmering water (about 2 inches of water, with the bowl bottom not touching the water), creating a double boiler.
- Stir constantly until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Chocolate and butter are fully melted and silky, with no visible lumps
Tip: Keep the heat low to prevent the chocolate from seizing or becoming grainy. If it's cooling too fast, you can keep the bowl over the warm water.
3
Combine wet ingredients
- Whisk the eggs into the cooled chocolate mixture one at a time, stirring well after each addition to incorporate fully.
- Add the vanilla extract and whisk until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
- Fold in the black bean purée using a rubber spatula, stirring until no streaks remain.
- The batter should be thick, dark, and uniform.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Batter is smooth and homogeneous with no visible streaks of bean or egg
Tip: Add eggs slowly so they temper and don't curdle. The batter will be thick and fudgy—that's correct and shows the beans are well incorporated.
4
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, instant espresso powder, and fine sea salt.
- Mix for about 30 seconds to distribute the leavening and spices evenly.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no streaks of dark cocoa or espresso powder
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients prevents lumps of baking soda or cocoa from creating pockets of uneven flavor or rise.
5
Combine wet and dry
- Add the sugar to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet chocolate-bean mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Fold in about 8–10 strokes; the batter should be uniform but do not overmix.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: No streaks of dry flour remain; batter is smooth and cohesive
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten, which toughens the cake. Stop folding as soon as the dry ingredients disappear.
6
Fill and level the pan
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Use a rubber spatula to spread it in an even layer, making sure it reaches into the corners.
- Tap the pan gently on the counter 2–3 times to release any air bubbles.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Batter is level and fills the pan evenly
Tip: A level cake will bake more evenly. If you have a convection oven, you may wish to rotate the pan halfway through baking.
7
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Transfer the cake pan to the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven on the middle rack.
- Bake for 32–37 minutes.
- The cake is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- The top should be set and slightly domed, and the edges will pull very slightly from the pan sides.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter; top is set and slightly domed
Tip: This cake is meant to be fudgy in texture; don't overbake it or it will lose that signature moistness. Check at 32 minutes first.
8
Cool in the pan and remove
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 15 minutes.
- This allows the structure to set slightly.
- Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan sides.
- Place a wire cooling rack over the pan and invert the cake carefully onto the rack.
- Peel away the parchment paper from the bottom.
- Let the cake cool completely on the rack, about 20–25 minutes, before slicing.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cake is completely cool to the touch and firms up on the surface
Tip: Letting the cake cool slightly in the pan prevents it from breaking apart. Once it's completely cool, the crumb will set fully and it will slice cleanly.

Good to know

Tips

This cake's secret is the black bean purée, which adds deep moisture and subtle flavor without tasting like beans. The combination of chocolate, espresso, and cinnamon masks any bean flavor entirely.
For a richer cake, add a pinch of cayenne pepper (¼ teaspoon) to the dry ingredients to heighten the chocolate and espresso notes.
Serve this cake at room temperature or slightly warm, with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh berries, or a dusting of cinnamon and cocoa powder.
Because of the bean purée, this cake is naturally vegan-friendly if you substitute the eggs (use a flax egg or aquafaba) and butter (use coconut or olive oil), though the texture will be slightly less tender.

Make ahead

This cake can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The crumb will develop even more fudgy texture after a day.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (covered, in an airtight container): up to 3 days. Refrigerator: up to 5 days. Freezer: wrap well in plastic wrap and foil, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours before serving.

Substitutions

dark chocolate (70% cacao) → Milk chocolate (any percentage) or a mix of dark and milk chocolate. Milk chocolate will make the cake slightly sweeter and less intense. Use the same weight.
instant espresso powder → Strong brewed coffee (1 tablespoon, cooled) or 1 teaspoon instant coffee. Brewed coffee adds moisture; reduce hot water to 3 tablespoons if using it. Instant coffee works just as well.
ground cinnamon → Mexican cinnamon (Ceylon) or a pinch each of ground cloves and ginger. Mexican cinnamon is milder and sweeter; use the same amount. Cloves and ginger add complexity.
black beans, drained and rinsed → Pinto beans or cooked black beans. Pinto beans have a slightly earthier flavor but work well. Cook dried beans until very tender and blend with the same amount of water.