Idaho's Spicy Bean Cake

Mashed pinto beans in a cake? It sounds strange, but the beans replace most of the fat and add a moist, dense crumb that stays fresh for days. You won’t taste beans in the finished cake. What you’ll taste is cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, diced apples, raisins, and vanilla.

Two full cups of cooked, mashed beans go into the batter after creaming just ¼ cup of butter with the eggs. That’s a fraction of the fat in a standard cake recipe. The beans provide moisture, body, and protein that butter alone can’t match. The result is closer to a spice cake crossed with a fruit-studded quick bread.

The warm spice trio (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg) is what gives this cake its kick. “Spicy” here means spice-forward, not hot pepper spicy. The cloves are the dominant note, so if you’re sensitive to that flavor, pull it back to ¼ teaspoon.

The optional 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder transforms this into a chocolate spice cake. The cocoa and the bean earthiness pair surprisingly well together.

Kitchen Tips

• Mash the beans smooth, not chunky. Visible bean pieces will give away the secret ingredient and create uneven texture.
• Dice the apples small, about ¼ inch. Larger chunks release too much moisture during baking and create soggy pockets.
• Test at 45 minutes with a toothpick. The beans make the batter denser than usual, so it takes the full bake time.
• Top with maple frosting as suggested, or dust with powdered sugar for a simpler finish.

Variations

• Chocolate bean cake: Add the 4 tablespoons cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. Pairs especially well with maple frosting.
• Black bean swap: Use mashed black beans instead of pinto for a slightly deeper, earthier flavor that works especially well with the chocolate version.