Beetroot and cardamom cake

SERVES EIGHT INGREDIENTS

650g raw beetroot, tails trimmed 5 cardamom pods

170g light brown sugar, plus 1 tbsp 180g butter

3 eggs, at room temperature 165g plain wholemeal flour 165g self-raising flour

3 tsp baking powder

30g cocoa powder

140ml whole or semi-skimmed milk

For the cream and chia jam filling

400g strawberries 100g raspberries 45g chia seeds 300ml double cream

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Line the base and sides of two 20cm round cake tins.

Wash the beetroot and cook it until soft – this is simplest in the microwave: put the beetroot on the turntable and microwave for 10 minutes, turning every two minutes. Leave to cool.

Trim the tops of the beetroot and purée the rest in a food processor, for about 350g smooth purée.

Smash the cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar and remove the papery skins. Grind the seeds with 1 tbsp sugar.

Cream the butter, sugar and cardamom seeds until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the beetroot purée.

Mix together the flours, baking powder and cocoa in a bowl, and then sift a third of this over the cake mixture. Fold in, then repeat twice more, adding in any bran that has gathered in the bottom of the sieve. Stir in the milk gently.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Bake for 40 minutes until springy to the touch and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins, then remove to a wire rack.

Carefully slice the cakes in half horizontally for a four-layer cake, or leave as they are for two layers.

To make the filling, put aside a few strawberries and raspberries for decoration. Purée the rest with a hand blender or food processor. Put the purée in a small pan with chia seeds. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for two minutes. Leave to cool. Lightly whip the cream. Sandwich the cake with the jam and cream and decorate with fresh berries.