Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Drain and dry the chickpeas very well with a towel or paper towel(s). In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, avocado, and beets, and try to blend until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed. Depending on the size of your food processor it may be difficult to get them completely smooth yet.
Add the brown rice syrup, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Use your spatula to fold in the cocoa powder a little bit so that it doesn't poof everywhere when you hit 'blend'. Then, pulse to combine.
Use a double boiler or equivalent setup (see notes) to melt the chocolate, and then add it immediately to the food processor. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Add the cake batter to the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer with your spatula. Bake for about 40 minutes, until a crust has formed on the top (it may have some cracks - this is normal) and the edges have risen slightly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 35-45 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean. The cake will be sunken in the center. This is expected.
No cheating on this step! Let the cake cool for 30-45 minutes, then transfer it to the refrigerator and let it cool for at least 3 more hours.
Serve cold, with toppings of choice such as coconut cream or rice whip (pictured); cocoa powder, fresh berries, etc. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
I do NOT recommend using boiled beets, they will result in a cake that is too wet. This cake is a bit finicky with moisture content, so please use steamed or roasted beets, and pat them dry well before weighing them and adding them to the batter.To make my life easier while measuring brown rice syrup, I lightly spray my measuring spoons with oil spray before dipping them into the brown rice syrup. This allows the syrup to slide back out of the measuring spoon easily.NUTRITION: Nutrition facts are calculated using Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips.