Chocolate Beetroot Cake Recipe – Gluten Free

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” 
~ Charles M. Schulz

Although at first this might sound like a strange flavour combination, I can assure you that this cake tastes sublime. The beetroot adds an earthy sweetness to the chocolate cake, giving a moist but surprisingly light cake with good keeping qualities.

And this recipe is so simple that even non-cooks or the kids can whip it up!

You can enjoy the cake plain, but the cream cheese frosting really does compliment the cake well. If you’re feeling truly decadent, double the quantity of frosting! Ingredients: 1 cup raw grated beetroot, 3 eggs, 1 cup of plain gluten-free flour (you can use ordinary flour too), 1 cup of almond meal, 1/2 cup of soft brown sugar or your favourite sugar substitute, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 250 dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1/3 cup of oil, 1/3 cup of your favourite milk (I’ve used cow, soy, almond and coconut and they have all worked out fine!)

Method: Preheat oven to moderate (160 degree celcius fan-forced or 180 degree oven – 350 degrees fahrenheit) and prepare a large 9 inch/22 centimetre round or an 8 inch/20 centimetre square tin by lining it with baking paper.

Place the flour, almond meal, cocoa and baking powder in a bowl and stir well to combine.

Then wash and peel the raw beetroot and grate a generous cup full. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat, or microwave on low until melted. Cool slightly.

Combine the eggs, oil, beetroot, milk, sugar, and melted chocolate in a large bowl, beating well. You can do this with a whisk or wooden spoon. No need for fancy equipment for this recipe.

Tip in the dry ingredients and mix to combine, and then pour into your paper-lined tin.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until cooked. You can tell if cake is done because it will spring back when touched in centre, or a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake will come out clean, with no mixture clinging to it. Cool in tin for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cake can be served plain, with icing sugar sifted over the top, or with a good dollop of cream, yogurt or ice-cream.

I also like this caked iced with cream cheese frosting. (Ignore that my cake looks tiny and my spoon humungous – I somehow skilfully gave it that perspective using my iphone one-handed for an action shot…)

See frosting recipe below.

Frosting ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter, 125g softened cream cheese, 1 cup icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Chocolate sprinkles or grated chocolate optional.

Method: Beat the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar (powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar) and vanilla until thick and creamy. Spread over top of cooled cake. Add sprinkles or grated chocolate if desired.

I would have used grated chocolate on top of my cake BUT someone seems to have eaten my stash. I’d always used the vegetable crisper as a safe hiding place.  Looks like I’m going to have to come up with somewhere new. 🙂 Still, the sprinkles are yummy and give a celebratory feel.