Chocolate Beetroot Cake

I feel like this post is going to an uphill battle... Some people have already seen the title and thought I've lost the plot, that I'll be changing my name to "Sun and Rain", handing out flyers outside Tescos about how vegetables have feelings and striking the downward dog pose in public places. I know Beetroot in a cake is weird. In fact it sounds completely disgusting but let me propose that this is the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten. Because it is. No lie. I was as hesitant as you are now. Only for my complete trust in the pure wisdom of http://iheartkatiecakes.blogspot.ie/ and http://www.donalskehan.com/ I would never have even tried it. But it is good, it is so so good.

Quite literally the proof is in the pudding. You don't taste the beetroot at all, but it makes the cake so moist and fudgy, dense and chocolately. Plus beetroot has low calories so it really is the healthiest chocolate cake you can make with no compromise on taste. 

Probably best not to mention to anyone that there is beetroot in it. Not until they tell you how amazing it is anyway. Because they will. Guaranteed. 

This is from Joy the Baker with slight amendments by myself 

2 medium beetroots washed 

6 oz unsalted butter 

1 cup of soft brown sugar

3/4 cup of caster sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

2 cups of plain flour sifted

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted 

1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

50g good dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids preferrably)

1 cup of buttermilk, at room temperature 

Method: 

1. Put the beetroot unpeeled in a pan of boiling salted water and boil for 45 minutes until a knife runs through them. Leave to cool then peel and chop roughly. Put in a food processor or with a hand held blender pulse them until there are no lumps. Then measure 3/4 cup for this recipe. 

2. Beat the sugar and butter together for about 5 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating briefly until all incorporated. Add a heaped tablespoon of the flour with each egg to stop the mixture curdling. Fold in the beetroot. 

3. Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix lightly. 

4. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 20 seconds or until fully melted. 

4. Put your buttermilk (at room temperature or else it will cause the chocolate to re-set), chocolate and vanilla essence in a jug. 

5. Add half the dry ingredients and half the milk and fold in gently but thoroughly. Continue with the rest of the dry and wet ingredients. 

6. Spoon into non-stick baking tins that have been lined with greaseproof/baking paper (this is worth your while!). It will make a three 6-7 inch pans or two 8-9 inch pans.  Your mix should look like this.

The fabulous hue of the beetroot doesn't come through in the cooked sponge so much. Which is actually a shame because it would be such an amazing coloured sponge!!
7. Bake for 27-30 minutes at 180oC. Use a skewer to tell if the cakes are done. The skewer should come out clean.
8. Leave to rest in the tins for 10 minutes then invert and sandwich with cream cheese frosting recipe to follow!