Sunday 29 April 2007

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

Makes 20 x cup cakes or 1 x 18cm cake.

This combo may sound weird but the end result is a moist, soft cake with a deep, dark colouring (looks very chocolaty). Similar to a carrot cake, you can’t taste the beetroot. If you don’t mention it, no one will know it’s got beetroot in it!



Ingredients
50g cocoa powder
90g plain flour
90g self raising flour
250g caster sugar
3 small cooked fresh beetroot
3 eggs
200ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment
Food processer/blender

1. Clean any excess dirt off the beetroots and wrap each one in foil. Roast the wrapped beetroot in a 180 degree oven for 30mins - 40mins. Unwrap and carefully peel off the skin. Leave to cool.

2. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees. To make cupcakes; line a muffin tray with cupcake patties. To make a cake; butter and flour an 18cm round or square cake tin.

3. Sift the cocoa, plain flour and self raising flour into a bowl. Mix in the caster sugar and set aside.

4. Puree the beetroot in a food processor/blender. Add in the eggs, one at a time, then add the oil and vanilla and process until smooth.

5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the beetroot mixture into the well. Lightly mix, using a rubber spatula and pour into the prepared tin.

6. For cup cakes; bake for 15mins - 20mins, for cake; bake for 40mins (or until skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean). The cake won't rise a great deal and the top may crack. Allow to cool before decorating with frosting.

Chocolate frosting
1.5 cups icing sugar
25g unsalted butter, softened
100g dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
milk as required
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. To make frosting, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2. Melt the chocolate using either a double boiler or using the microwave.

3. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Add in milk to beat until smooth and soft. Decorate as desired.