Our blogger Maxine says: ‘There’s definitely something about beetroot’s vibrant colour that appeals to the child in me. How does something that looks quite boring when it’s growing in its cold, damp vegetable patch, have the capacity to transform into something quite captivating on the plate? I must admit it’s taken me years to find a chocolate cake recipe that’s as moist and as light as this one. The oil and the vegetables seem to give it an added fine texture and a rich, deep chocolate flavour and colour.’
Ingredients
- 250g cooked beetroot
- 50g raw grated carrot, grated on the small section
- 225g gluten free plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- 200g soft brown sugar
- 70g cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs
- 3tbsp milk (or use rice milk for dairy free cake)
- 150ml sunflower oil
- icing sugar to decorate
Method
Preheat your oven 160C/gas 3 and line your tin, both base and around the sides, with baking paper.
Grate the carrot into a large mixing bow.
Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder, if using, in a large mixing bowl.
In the food processor, blitz the beetroot, oil, eggs and milk, pour over the dry ingredients and add the grated carrot. Mix well.
Pour into your tin and bake for about 50mins-1hr. Check it’s fully cooked through with a skewer, which should come out clean.
Top tip for making Carrot and beetroot cake
You could try an American style frosting to decorate, but as we’re doing dairy free here I opted for a simple icing sugar affair, with some beetroot coloured sweet peas grown by my dad (don't eat them obviously). What could be better?!
