My Favourite Chocolate Beetroot Cake
I love using beetroot in a chocolate cake to bring moisture to the crumb. This cake has been my go-to chocolate cake recipe for many years. It has a soft crumb and the chocolate olive oil ganache is the easiest icing to make to complete the cake. It is naturally dairy-free and can be made gluten-free using either gluten-free flour or ground almonds (or a combination of both). It is super versatile and possibly why it is one of my favourite cakes to make. I hope it will become one of yours.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup 115g plain flour (can use gluten-free)
- ½ cup 40g cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- a pinch of salt
- ½ cup 125ml olive oil or neutral-flavoured oil
- ½ cup 100g sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 200 g whole baked beetroot (directions above), peeled and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan 160ºC). Grease a 20cm round cake tin - I used a bundt tin. (Or to make cupcakes line a 12-hole muffin tray.)
- In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- To a food processor add the olive oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cider vinegar, and the chopped beetroot. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients and pulse briefly to just combine. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. (Alternatively, to make cupcakes spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.) Invert onto a cooling rack. Once cool drizzle with chocolate olive oil ganache (directions below).
- With the addition of the roasted beetroot, this cake keeps well for several days - covered at room temperature.
Notes
Chocolate Olive Oil Ganache
Break up 100g of good-quality dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Set the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water - make sure the bowl isn't touching the water. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and melt together. Drizzle over the cooled cake and leave to set for 1-2 hours.