Beetroot chocolate cake

When I first heard of this combination many years ago I wasn't overly struck on the idea. 

I love beetroot. I love chocolate. I love chocolate cake.

Why mix them? I mean beetroot has an underlying earthy taste.

Would you really want a cake to taste of soil?!

It wasn't until we had a glut of beets when we first got our allotment 

that I thought I'd give it a whirl. 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I've tried different recipes over the years and this one is how I like it.

The beets are cooked first. Raw beetroot just doesn't work for me.

I like the beetroot taste and I want to know it's there 

but it is such a hard vegetable. 

Simply baking it in a cake doesn't allow enough time to cook it 

and makes it unpleasant to eat....

In my opinion.

I use 70% dark chocolate and cocoa powder 

as I love a rich, intense chocolate flavour. 

I have lowered the sugar content 

as I don't like lingering sweetness on my palette.

The eggs are beaten until fluffy 

and the other ingredients 

are gently folded through 

to help prevent the cake from being too heavy.

However with all the beetroot and chocolate it has 

a yummy moist density that is irresistibly moreish.

 I suggest you freeze half to stop you eating it all at once!

Beetroot chocolate cake

Pre-heat the oven to 180 or 160 fan assisted

Grease and line a deep 20cm round cake tin or a large loaf tin will suffice

(If you use a different size tin you will have to adjust the cooking time)

350g of cooked beetroot (not too soft)

* I prefer to boil the beets with the skins on then peel when cool enough to handle. The time this takes will depend on size.

200g dark chocolate (70%) broken into bitesize pieces 

200g unsalted butter cut into approx 1.5cm pieces

4 large eggs

150g caster sugar

200g self raising flour

15g cocoa powder

There are two ways to blend the beets, chocolate and butter depending on whether you have a food processor. I have used both methods and both are equally delicious.

• 1. With a food processor - put the chocolate and butter into the processor bowl add the hot peeled beets and blitz. This action will chop the beets, melt the chocolate and butter and blend all three together. How much you blitz will depend on how much you want the beets to be apparent in the baked cake. Finely chopped means a smoother sponge. I rather like to know the beets are there and also quite like the bite of the odd chunk of chocolate! However you need to make sure the butter has melted.

• 2. Without a food processor - put the chocolate and butter together into a heatproof bowl or jug and melt, either in a microwave or over a pan of hot water (not touching). Coarsely grate the peeled beets when cool enough to handle then combine with the melted mix.

• While the beets are cooling after cooking (until cool enough to peel) whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and airy and at least doubled in volume. Approximately 5 minutes.

• Combine the flour and cocoa powder together. I usually use a hand balloon whisk.
• Sieve the dry flour mix over the egg mix and gently fold together to minimise air loss. When half combined add the beet mix and continue to fold the mix until all the flour has been incorporated.

• Transfer to the prepared tin. 

• Bake 55 mins-1 hour (remember to adjust the cooking time for a different size tin)

• A skewer should come out clean and the cake should spring back when gently pushed. You should also notice the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin. I use all of these when deciding if a cake is cooked through. 

So what are you waiting for?

If you have lots of beetroot in your garden or see it at the greengrocers,

don't delay make this today!

I'll be making it for a few months to come as beetroot keeps fairly well in the ground.

However I do have one in the freezer already.

Cut in half so I won't eat it all at once!

I hope you enjoy it.

Please let me know how you get on.

I'd love some feedback on the recipe too.

xxx