Beet Chocolate Cake
Make your true love's heart skip a beat with this luscious beetroot chocolate cake. The depth flavor comes through with an easy beet puree. Eat your colors with a little chocolatey goodness.
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 200 g beet root medium, washed about 2 (or 3 small)
- ¼ cup hot water
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup local honey
- ½ cup milk
- 3 each eggs lightly whisked
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups self-raising flour sifted
Cream Cheese Icing
- 1 cup icing sugar sifted
- 5 oz cream cheese
Chocolate ganache
- 1½ cup chocolate chopped or chips, your choice of dark or milk
- 9 oz cream
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 8" round spring form cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base with non-stick parchment paper.
- Cut the top and bottoms off of the beet roots, lightly oil, wrap in foil and bake until an inserted knife comes out of the roots easily. Let cool slightly and the peels should come right off with your hand, no peeler required.
- Place cooked beets, hot water and cocoa powder in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Add the sugar, honey and eggs, and mix until smooth.
- Combine the milk, oil and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup and reserve.
- Place your beet mixture in a mixing bowl and fold in half the flour and then half the milk mixture until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and then the remaining milk mixture.
- Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack to cool.
- For a little valentine's flair, consider using a 4 inch round pan and a 4 in square pan. Split the batter in two even amounts. Once baked and cooled, cut the round cake in half to create two half circles. Place these on a cake pan with the square positioned like a diamond, on the top two edges, creating a heart shape!
Cream Cheese Icing
- Whip the room temperature cream cheese until light and fluffy. On low gradually add the powdered sugar and whip until fluffy and stiff peaks form.
- This is a great place to add a bit of raspberry extract, cherry liqueur, brandy, or whatever you fancy. Use as a filling or topping.
Chocolate Ganache
- Pour the cream into a medium pot and heat on low it until it is not quite boiling, take care not to scald. You’ll know it’s ready when bubbles start to form around the edge of the pot.
- Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate in a heat proof mixing bowl. Let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is fully melted into the cream, this should be smooth and shiny. Don't fret if it doesn't come together right away, once the chocolate emulsifies with the fat of the cream it will become smooth melty and delicious.
- Use as a filling or topping.
Notes
Consider using fresh fruits like raspberries or strawberries on top. Get a bit more festive with honey roasted beets cut out in heart shapes!
