What is texture of black bean cake?

[lgpars]

I just made this cake today (used CarolynF's recipe with extra chocolate mixture). It smelled and looked just like a chocolate cake. I am going to ice it but could not wait to taste a small bite. My cake was not very moist and did not seem quite sweet enough to me. It should be okay when I get the icing on it. When you all make this cake, is yours real moist? The only thing I did differently was add 1/2 tsp. of oat fiber to mine because I had read where that adds moistness to the cake. Should I not have added that? Anyway, I can see where this will be something I will make quite often. Just would like to get a little more moisture to it. Any suggestions of where I went wrong?

[CarolynF]

Hmm..maybe you cooked it a little too long? That can dry out a cake. Was your batter like a cake batter?

My bean cakes aren't terribly moist, but they aren't dry, either.

You can always make a trifle out of the "cake" by adding whipped cream and chocolate pudding mixed up with "cake" pieces floating around the trifle..

[Charski]

Mine is always moist and delicious!

I use Hershey's Special Dark cocoa, and last time I used Fage 0% Greek Yogurt instead of cream cheese, otherwise I follow the recipe pretty closely.

What size eggs did you use? I always use extra large.

AND I undercook slightly, then check every 5 minutes to make sure I'm not getting it too dry. As SOON as the toothpick comes out with no wet stuff on it then I figure it's DONE!

[CarolynF]

My professional baker friend always takes her cakes out just in time and wraps them in saran wrap to cool..Interesting, huh?

[Barbo]

When you take a Saran wrap and place it over the
pan the cake baked in, it sucks down and holds the
moisture in as the cake is cooling. I've don'e this for years.

I always underbake chocolate brownies or cakes. Just a little 4 min.
They continue baking awhile after they are out of the oven.
I would rather have them moist and a little gooey than
dry and crumbly.

[lgpars]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Hmm..maybe you cooked it a little too long? That can dry out a cake. Was your batter like a cake batter?

My bean cakes aren't terribly moist, but they aren't dry, either.

You can always make a trifle out of the "cake" by adding whipped cream and chocolate pudding mixed up with "cake" pieces floating around the trifle..

I cooked mine for 30 min. just like yours. I checked it at 25 min. and it wasn't quite done. Mine is a little better now and I put some buttercream icing on it and it tastes real good now. I thought the cake needed more sweetener though so next time I think I will put some Erythritol in it. Definitely the best thing I've tasted low carb. It's simply amazing how beans can do that. I will definitely try the carrot cake later.

[CarolynF]

Barbo: I need to do this... all the time..You just saran wrap it in the pan.

Linda: Yup, it is good to mix sweetners with chocolate..

[lgpars]

Originally Posted by Charski

Mine is always moist and delicious!

I use Hershey's Special Dark cocoa, and last time I used Fage 0% Greek Yogurt instead of cream cheese, otherwise I follow the recipe pretty closely.

What size eggs did you use? I always use extra large.

AND I undercook slightly, then check every 5 minutes to make sure I'm not getting it too dry. As SOON as the toothpick comes out with no wet stuff on it then I figure it's DONE!

I did use extre large eggs but to me they looked more like large but last time I made something with them that called for large eggs I just used the same number of these eggs because I thought they looked like large even tho they were extra large and my batter was too thin. I know I did not overlook it. I was watching it closely. I used the cream cheese.

[lgpars]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

My professional baker friend always takes her cakes out just in time and wraps them in saran wrap to cool..Interesting, huh?

Maybe that's a good idea as moisture would form and drip down in the cake. Does she leave the cake in the pan and put the Saran wrap just on the top?

[lgpars]

Originally Posted by CarolynF

Barbo: I need to do this... all the time..You just saran wrap it in the pan.

Linda: Yup, it is good to mix sweetners with chocolate..

Well actually I did mix sweeteners but I used half Splenda and half Whey Low. Maybe they were too much alike. Would the 1/2 tsp. of oat fiber cause dryness? I thought it helped keep baked goods moist.

[buttoni]

I find this cake is always better on day two. The chocolate flavor and sweetness seem to "develop" overnight. Don't know why really. I don't find the cake alone is sweet enough, but once I ice it, it's just fine for me.

[Soobee]

Oat fiber soaks up liquid. I wouldn't think that 1/2 teaspoon would affect the cake, but maybe it did.

[lgpars]

Originally Posted by buttoni

I find this cake is always better on day two. The chocolate flavor and sweetness seem to "develop" overnight. Don't know why really. I don't find the cake alone is sweet enough, but once I ice it, it's just fine for me.

Yes, mine was so much better today with the icing on it and cold. My husband said it tasted like the real thing. I would like it just a tad more moist. I might try taking it out about 5 min. sooner next time. But I really love this cake!! I loved Kent Altena's buttercream icing on it(from Low Carbing Among Friends) but I had to add lots more sweetener to mine than what his recipe called for. I think I added another 6 drops of Sweetzfree and 1/8 cup of powdered Erythritol. But I like things sweet so they will taste like the non-low carb items. Ha!

[lgpars]

Originally Posted by Soobee

Oat fiber soaks up liquid. I wouldn't think that 1/2 teaspoon would affect the cake, but maybe it did.

Oh great!! Maybe that is what made mine dryer then. I bought it because someone on here said it gives moistness to baked goods...at least that is what I remember. Maybe I'm mistaken. Anyway, next time I will leave it out.

[PaminKY]

The oat fiber can be drying but you didn't add very much so not sure if that's the case here.

I add glucomannan, about 1/2 tsp., to most baked goods. I think it helps with moisture plus it also helps keep the crumbliness down.

[buttoni]

Actually Linda, oat fiber's function isn't to add moisture (if anything, it has a drying effect, as Pam and Soobee said). Rather oat fiber enhances smoothness and texture of final goods. I personally find it also serves to add a slight "flour-like" taste to baked goods made with little conventional flour or no flour at all.

[Brendajm]

I have one of these made topped with sf cherries and cool whip. It is so good. The cake is not dry, but not real moist either. But very yummy