Dried plum (prune), beetroot and cocoa cakes

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus beetroot roasting time Cooking time: 25 minutes Makes: 8 cakes

❚ 1 medium roasted beetroot (about 150g) – see directions above

❚ 8 dried prunes or semi-dried plum halves – recipe below

❚ 1⁄2 cup (125ml) neutral oil (such as grape seed or rice bran) ❚ 1⁄4 cup maple syrup or sugar

❚ 2 eggs

❚ 1 cup white flour (or gluten-free flour mix) ❚ 1⁄3 cup cocoa powder

❚ 1 teaspoon baking powder

❚ 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a muffin tray with eight muffin cases.

Slip the skin from the roasted beetroot and cut into wedges. Roughly chop the prunes or semi-dried plums and place in a food processor along with the beetroot, oil, maple syrup and eggs. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda to the processor and pulse six times. Scrape down the sides and pulse several more times until the mixture is just combined.

Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cases and place into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. (Or make a cake using a 20cm cake tin and bake for 30-35 minutes). Cool the cakes in the tray for five minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cool, store in an airtight container and enjoy within five days.