Beetroot chocolate cake with a fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting recipe
A delicious and chocolatey beetroot chocolate cake with a fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting.
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Ingredients
Cake:
- 300 grams McCain frozen beetroot
- 200 grams good quality dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids
- 3 free-range eggs separated
- 200 grams brown sugar muscovado or demerara
- 165 ml sunflower oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 grams almond flour
- 150 grams flour
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
Chocolate buttercream icing:
- 80 grams 70% chocolate melted and then cooled
- 170 grams butter
- 125 grams icing sugar
- 40 grams cocoa powder
- 1 Tbs very strong coffee or espresso
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings or walnuts to decorate
- Beetroot powder to sprinkle optional
Instructions
- Place the frozen beetroot into a microwave container with ½ cup of water and cook on high for 8 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
- Heat the chocolate in a bowl of a double boiler and then allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F
- Process the beetroot in a food processor with the sunflower oil until a smooth consistency (there might still be a few very small chunks), about 3 – 4 minutes.
- Separate the eggs and using an electric mixer, whip the whites until stiff peaks. Remove from the bowl and set aside.
- In the same mixing bowl, add the egg yolks, sugars, beetroot and oil mixture, vanilla, salt, chocolate and almond flour and mix until well combined for about a minute.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and add them to the wet batter and briefly mix until incorporated.
- By hand, gently fold through the whisked egg whites.
- Line a 23cm x 13 x 8cm loaf tin (approx 1.5litre capacity) with baking paper. You could also make a layered cake and divide the batter between 2 lined 18cm cake tins (adjust the baking time down accordingly) or one bundt cake (just grease this vs lining with paper).
- Decant the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour and 10 – 20 minutes and until a sharp knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake. Loosely cover with tin foil to prevent over-browning if necessary. * note that if you make this in a bundt tin or in 2 layers the baking time will need to be adjusted to around 1 hour.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely
- Make the icing sugar by melting the chocolate in a double boiler and then allowing it to cool to room temperature.
- Whip all the other ingredients together for a few minutes until fluffy. Ice the cake and then decorate the cake with chocolate shavings or walnuts.
Notes
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature:- If unfrosted, store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- If frosted, store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for 1 day, but refrigerate if the weather is warm.
- Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
- Unfrosted cake: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
- Frosted cake: Not ideal for freezing as buttercream may lose texture, but if necessary, freeze in slices wrapped individually. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
- If needed, warm individual slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds for a softer texture.
Servings: 8 loaf cake