This post was created in partnership with The California Avocado Commission. All opinions are our own.

Did we ever tell you about our psychic powers? To prove it, we’re sensing that you have an exciting evening in your future. Perhaps your plan is a simple dinner at home, spending a quiet evening by yourself. Or maybe you’re inviting someone over for a romantic meal and a walk in the moonlight. Whatever your mystery occasion may be, this new recipe is destined to be the perfect dessert. If you believe in magic, let us introduce you to our Flourless Triple Chocolate Cake with California Avocado.

Within this rich and intensely chocolatey dessert, all of your chocolate dreams become realities. And some of your chocolate realities become dreams. Baked with three kinds of chocolate—semi-sweet, bittersweet, and unsweetened—this cake is pure decadence in every bite. It’s been a pleasure working with California Avocados, and this month our theme was to create a sunset date night dessert featuring avocado in the ingredients. We put our own spin on the classic flourless chocolate cake, and the results are about to make history.

This cake is ultra-dense, fudgy, and delicious, just like the original—but with a few tasty twists. Our first secret is that we used—not one, not two—but three kinds of chocolate that each bring their own unique flavor. We also added a pinch of espresso powder which accentuates all the chocolatey goodness. And then we had an idea that changed everything.

We thought… what would happen if we replaced half the butter in the recipe with ripe, Fresh California Avocados? The outcome was astounding. No one would ever know that there’s less butter in the cake, and while you can’t taste the avocado, it adds a smooth and creamy texture, making it a wonderful and healthier substitute. You don’t have to be psychic to know that everyone will be asking for a second slice.

California Avocados are in season from Spring through Summer, so now is the perfect time to take advantage of the abundance of the fresh produce grown in California—be sure to look for California on the label at your local grocery store.

Looking for more recipes featuring California Avocados? Try some of these:
– spring charcuterie board with california avocado three-bean salad
– smoked gouda grilled cheese bites with california avocados
– heirloom tomato and california avocado galette
– guacanoochi
– kimchi quesadillas with swiss cheese and avocado
– spaghetti with asparagus, wilted greens, and avocado
– vegan mint chip avocado milkshake

Flourless Triple Chocolate Cake
Makes one 8-inch cake
Serves 8 to 10

For the cake:
half of a ripe, Fresh California Avocado, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 45% cacao)
1/2 cup (85 g) bittersweet chocolate chips (about 65% cacao)
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature (see note)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee crystals or espresso powder
1/2 cup (42 g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (see note)

For garnish:
California Avocado roses (see note)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, for dusting

Preheat oven to 375°F/191°C. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with unsalted butter, and line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper.

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 to 2 inches of water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Meanwhile, place half an avocado in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mash until completely smooth with no lumps remaining. Measure 1/4 cup (60g) of the mashed avocado and set aside. Any remaining avocado can be saved for another use—or simply enjoyed by the spoonful.

In a large heatproof mixing bowl, stir together the 1/4 cup (60 g) of mashed avocado, semi-sweet chocolate chips, bittersweet chocolate chips, and unsalted butter. Place the mixing bowl on top of the pan of simmering water, and continue stirring over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth with no lumps remaining. Carefully lift the mixing bowl off the pan (the bowl will be hot) and set it on a heatproof surface to cool briefly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Once the bowl has briefly cooled, add the granulated sugar and stir until blended. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until smooth between each addition. Then add the vanilla, salt, and instant coffee crystals or espresso powder, stirring until blended. Place a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl, then pour in the cocoa powder and sift to remove any lumps. Stir the batter until no streaks of cocoa powder remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs sticking to it, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a serving platter and peel off the parchment paper. Place the platter in the refrigerator and let the cake chill uncovered until cool to the touch, about 30 to 45 minutes. Then cover the platter with either foil, plastic wrap, or an airtight lid, and continue to chill in the fridge for at least another 3 hours or up to overnight, until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and use a fine-mesh strainer to lightly dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, unsweetened Dutch process cocoa, or both.

Garnish each plate with a California Avocado rose (see note below), then serve and enjoy!

Notes:
— Serving a smaller crowd? Use a 6-inch cake pan, and simply cut all the ingredient amounts in half. Note that the baking time may increase by a few minutes due to the slightly increased thickness of the cake.
— If the eggs are still cold from the fridge, you can quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a small bowl, then filling it with warm water (not scalding hot) and letting them soak for about 5 minutes.
— Dutch process cocoa powder brings a dark, nearly black color to chocolate baked goods (as opposed to natural cocoa powder which results in a more reddish-brown color). It is commonly found in grocery stores and online, and is sometimes labeled as “Dark Cocoa” or “Special Dark Cocoa.”
— To make a California Avocado rose: first, cut an avocado in half and remove the seed. Gently remove the peel from one of the halves, being careful to not damage or blemish the outside of the fruit. Place the peeled half flat-side-down on a cutting board, and use a sharp knife to cut it into very thin slices (about 1/8-inch or less) while keeping the shape of the fruit intact and not separating the slices (see photo above). Then, using your hands, gently fan out the avocado into a long line with the slices overlapping each other (see photo above). Starting at one end, begin to roll the line of slices into a circular spiral until it forms a round rose-like shape. Once the rose spiral is about 2 inches in diameter, tuck in any loose edges to form a neat circular shape (see photo above). Repeat as needed to make additional roses. Note that one avocado half will make 1 to 2 roses, depending on size. Once the roses are completed, use a fork or cake server to transfer them to serving plates. For the best color and freshest appearance, prepare the avocado roses just before serving.