Chocolate Beetroot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

• cocoa powder↗80 g
• plain flour↗200 g
• baking powder↗2 teaspoons
• caster sugar↗300 g
• beetroots↗300 g

  unpeeled, scrubbed clean

• eggs↗3
• vegetable oil↗200 ml
• vanilla extract↗2 1⁄2 teaspoons

  not all used at same time

• cream cheese↗200 g
• butter↗50 g

  room temperature

• dark chocolate↗75 g
• icing sugar↗125 g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   In a large pan of boiling water, boil the beetroots in the skins until tender when pierced with a knife, 30-60 minutes.

2. 2

   Let cool and peel away the skins.

3. 3

   preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, Gas4.

4. 4

   Butter a medium (20cm) cake tin.

5. 5

   Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into the bowl; add the sugar and set aside.

6. 6

   Puree or finely grate the beetroot.

7. 7

   In a large bowl, whisk together the beetroot, eggs, 2 tsp vanilla and oil.

8. 8

   Fold in the dry ingredients to just combine.

9. 9

   Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

10. 10

    Cool 20 minutes in the pan, then remove to a wire rack.

11. 11

    To make the frosting, melt the chocolae in a bowl set over boiling water.

12. 12

    Whisk together the chocolate, cream cheese, 0.5tsp vanilla and 50g butter. Spread on the cake.