Chocolate & Beetroot Cake
A gorgeous rich chocolate cake, ideal for birthdays, celebrations, or when you just want a mouthwatering cake to indulge in. You’ll find this in my new book, The Ultimate Gluten Free, Dairy Free Collection. This cake also has added benefits, with the grated beetroot. Not only does this add lots of healthy vitamins (especially folate – B9 – and vitamin C) and minerals (including iron) but it also adds a deep, rich flavour and lots of moistness to the cake. And it’s so simple to make. You can decorate with edible flowers or other decorations, or leave it with the simple chocolate ganache icing.
Gluten Free & Dairy Free Chocolate & Beetroot Cake
Prep time
Cooking time
Total time
Gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian
Author: Grace Cheetham
Recipe type: Cake
Cuisine: British
Serves: 1 cake
Ingredients
- 150g/5½oz/⅔ cup dairy free margarine, plus extra for greasing
- 200g/7oz dairy free dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped or broken into pieces
- 175g/6oz/¾ cup plus 2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 100g/3½oz/¾ cup Cake Mix flour blend
- 2 tsp gluten free baking powder
- 50g/1¾oz/½ cup ground almonds
- 200g/7oz/1⅔ cups peeled and grated raw beetroot (beets)
- edible flowers, to decorate
- FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE ICING:
- 150g/5½oz dairy free dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped or broken into pieces
- 150ml/5fl oz/scant ⅔ cup dairy-free cream
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Lightly grease a 20cm/8in round springform cake tin (pan) with margarine and line the base with baking parchment. Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and rest it over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted.
- Put the margarine and sugar in a large mixing bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat together until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract, then gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. Using a large spoon, carefully fold in the melted chocolate.
- Sift in the cake mix and baking powder, then add the ground almonds. Using a large metal spoon, fold everything together. Add the beetroot (beets) and fold in gently, too. Mix well, but take care not to overmix, then pour into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for about 50 minutes until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Turn out of the tin, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- To make the chocolate ganache icing, put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and rest it over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. Heat the cream in a saucepan over a low heat until hot but not boiling. Add to the melted chocolate and, using a wooden spoon, stir in until smooth and thick. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Put the cake on a cake stand or plate and spread the ganache over the top and around the side of the cake. Decorate with flowers.
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