Chocolate beetroot cake
This is Rosie’s mum’s chocolate beetroot cake — a moist, supereasy bake that everyone loves.
HANDS-ON: 20 mins BAKE: 35 mins
SERVES 8
You will need: 18cm round cake tins x 2, greased, then base-lined with baking paper
FOR THE SPONGE
● 200g salted butter, diced
● 100g 70pc dark chocolate, broken into pieces
● 200g fresh, cooked beetroot in natural juice, finely grated
● 200g self-raising flour, sifted
● 1 tsp baking powder
● 50g dark cocoa powder
● 250g dark brown soft sugar
● 4 large eggs
FOR THE CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICING
● 200g condensed milk
● ½ tsp vanilla extract
● 50g unsalted butter, diced
● 100g 70pc dark chocolate, chopped
Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160/ 350f/gas 4. Place the butter in a medium pan over a low heat for about 1 minute, until melted. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Leave for 5 minutes, then stir until the chocolate has melted. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Place the beetroot in a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, baking powder, cocoa, sugar and eggs, then stir in the cooled butter and chocolate mixture until fully combined. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the icing, put the condensed milk in a small pan with the vanilla and warm over a low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent burning, until the milk is hot but not boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and chocolate. Leave for 2-3 minutes, then stir until the butter and chocolate have melted and the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool until spreadable (about 1 hour). When the icing is ready, spread one sponge, top-side down, evenly with half the icing. Stack the second sponge on top and spread with the remaining icing to finish.