Labels

00 flour 7-spice 8-ball squash açaí acorn squash afternoon tea agar ale alfalfa allspice almond butter almond essence almond meal almonds alphabet amchoor american anise seed apple apple cheese apple juice apple sauce apricots artichoke asiers asparagus aubergine autumn avocado balls balsamic vinegar banana banana skin bannock barberries barley basil bath bomb batter bay BBQ sauce bean burger bean pasta beans beansprouts beauty beer beeswax beet greens beetroot belize beluga lentils berbere berry bicarbonate of soda birch syrup birthday biscuits black beans black eyed beans black garlic black pepper black trumpet blackberry blewit blue cheese blueberry bok choi borlotti beans borscht boston bran brandy brazil nut brazilian bread bread flour breadcrumbs breadsticks breakfast brezeln british broad beans broccoli broccolini brown lentils brown rice brown sugar brownies brussels sprouts buckwheat bulghur wheat buns butter buttermilk butternut squash cabbage cacao cajun spice cake camping canada candied peel candles cannelini beans capers caramel caraway cardamom caribbean carob molasses carrot greens carrots cashew cauliflower cayenne celeriac celery celery seed ceps cereal champagne chanterelle chard cheese cheese rind cherry chervil Chestnut chia chia seeds chicken of the woods chickpea chickpea flour chickpea miso chickpeas child-friendly chilli chips chives chocolate christmas chutney cider cider vinegar cinnamon citric acid clapshot cloves coarse salt cocoa coconut coconut kefir coconut milk coconut oil coconut sugar coconut vinegar coffee collard greens compote cookies copenhagen cordial coriander coriander seed cornbread cornflour cornmeal cornstarch cottage cheese courgette courgette flowers couscous crabapple crackers cranberries cranberry cranberry sauce cream cream cheese cream of tartar creme de cassis crumble cucumber cumin cupuaçu curd currants curry curry leaves curry paste custard dal dandelion-ramp miso danish date date molasses dehydrator demerara sugar digestive biscuits dill dinosaur dip donuts dosa dragonfish dressing dried fruit drink dry tofu dukkah dulce de leche easter edamame egg egg yolk elderberry elderflower elephant english epsom salts essential oil evaporated milk fake milk fennel fennel seed fenugreek feta fiddleheads fig filo fire cooking firm tofu flan flapjack flatbread flour flowers focaccia food colouring football freekeh fresh yeast frittata fritters galangal galette garam masala garlic garlic scapes gazpacho german gin ginger ginger wine gingerbread glass noodles gluten-free glutinous rice flour gnocchi goat's cheese golden beets golden raisins golden syrup gooseberry gorgonzola graham flour granola grape grape molasses grapefruit greek green beans green pepper green plantain green tea green tomato haggis haricot beans harissa hazelnut hedgehog mushroom hemp seeds holy basil hominy honey horseradish hot cross buns hummus ice lollies iceland icing icing sugar indian injera irish italy jackfruit jam jamaican japanese jelly jicama kahlua kale kale chips kalonji kefir ketchup kohlrabi koji kombucha lasagne latkes lavender lebkuchen leek leek flowers lemon lemongrass lentils lettuce lime lime leaves linseed lion's mane mushroom liquorice powder lovage lunch macadamia nuts mace mahlab maitake mango maple syrup marble marigold marmalade marzipan masa harina mascarpone mash melon membrillo mexican milk millet mince pies mincemeat mint mirin miso mixed spice mochi moghrabieh molasses morel mousse mozzarella muesli muffins mulberry mulberry molasses mung beans mushroom mushroom powder mushroom stock mustard mustard oil naan nasturtium new york no-bake cake noodles not food nut butter nut roast nutella nutmeg nutritional yeast oat yoghurt oatmeal oats okara okra olive oil olives onion onion skins onions orange orange blossom orange juice oregano oyster mushroom package pancakes panch phoran papaya papaya seeds paprika parkin parmesan parsley parsnips pasta pastry peach peanut peanut butter pear peas pecan pecan pie pecorino pepper pesto petersilienwurzel philadelphia physalis pickle picnic pie pine nuts pineapple pistachio pizza plantain plum polenta pomegranate pomegranate molasses ponzu popcorn poppy seeds porridge potato potluck preserve pretzels prune psyllium seed husk pudding pumpkin pumpkin seed butter pumpkin seeds purple carrots purple noodles purple potato puy lentils pyo quince quinoa radicchio radish radish greens rainbow cake raisins raita ramps ras el hanout raspberry ratatouille ravioli red cabbage red kidney beans red lentils red onion red wine red wine vinegar redcurrant jelly redcurrants relish restaurant reykjavik rhubarb rice rice flour rice pudding rice vinegar ricotta risotto rocket rolls root veg chips rose rose harissa rosemary rugbrød rum runner beans rye saffron sage sake salad salsify salt sauce sauerkraut scones scottish sea buckthorn seaweed seeds semolina sesame oil sesame seeds sesame tofu seville orange shepherd's pie shiso silken tofu skyr slaw sloe snacks snow soba noodles socca soda bread sodium hydroxide soup sour cherries south american soy sauce soybean spaghetti spaghetti squash spätzle spelt spelt berries spinach spread spring spring onion sprouts squash st. george's mushroom star anise stew stout strawberry sugar sultana sumac summer sunchoke sundried tomato sunflower seed butter sunflower seeds super firm tofu sweet sweet potato sweetcorn tacos tahini tamale tamari tamarind tapioca flour tarragon tart tea tealoaf teff tempeh thai thyme tinned peaches tkemali toast tofu tofu scramble tomatillo tomato tomato puree tonka bean toronto tortillas tray bake treacle truck truffle turmeric turnip turnip greens tyttebær udon umeboshi vanilla vanilla bean vegetable stock veggie burger vermouth vine leaves vinegar walnut oil walnuts wasabi watermelon watermelon radish wax wheat berries whisky white balsamic vinegar white beans white chocolate white pepper white spelt flour white wine wholemeal wild garlic winter wood ear xanthan gum yeast yellow beans yellow split peas yoghurt za'atar zimtsterne

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

the last piece - saved for S
I quite like putting vegetables in cake.  Carrot cake is so ubiquitous that I find it surprising that more veg don't find their way into cake form.  In the past I have caked courgettes, pumpkin (both fairly widely used), parsnips, sweet potato, and beetroot.  As is becoming increasingly obvious through these last few posts, I love beetroot, in no small part because of its awesome colour.  But also because of its sweet-earthy taste, robust texture, and versatility...  In previous cake experiments I had used the beetroot raw and grated, which gave pleasing little pops of pink, but I hoped for something more eye-catching.  I wondered if cooking and pureeing first might be the answer, and liked the idea of combining it with chocolate and dark berries.  This was for another work birthday - Nik.  Which also seems to be marking a year of vegan baking (since this one).

I veganised this recipe, and used this icing, adding creme de cassis to thin it instead of fake milk.  The icing was a tactical decision - I knew it worked awesomely before, and that it could be used to cover up minor cake-shape problems.

85 g dark chocolate
3 tbsp ground linseed, mixed with 9 tbsp boiling water
300 g sugar
240 ml vegetable oil
300 g cooked, pureed beetroot
1 tsp vanilla essence
30 g cocoa powder
200 g flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 350F.

Melt the chocolate. In a separate bowl, whisk together the linseed-water mix, sugar and oil. Slowly add in the cooked beetroot puree, melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat until just combined.

Mix the cocoa, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt with a fork in a separate bowl. Add this to the beetroot batter. Fold until just combined.

Spread a teaspoon of oil over the surface of a springform cake tin. Sprinkle some flour all over, and tap out the excess. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake for about 50 minutes, or till a skewer comes out clean.

When the cake is done, cool it on a wire rack (remove the ring after 15 min or so to allow better cooling.


When the cake was completely cool I cut it in two so that I could sandwich fill it with this icing (made while the cake was baking, then refrigerated til needed and thinned to a spreadable consistency with creme de cassis). I also covered the top and sides with icing, and then decorated the top with natural coloured cherries and red baker's crystals.

It came out as a dense, brownie-like cake.  It sank a little in the centre, but I was able to hide that with the filling and frosting.  Quite a good cake, although I was a bit disappointed that the beetroot colour didn't come out more - in fact the chocolate was quite overwhelming - the cinnamon came out slightly but the creme de cassis was quite hidden too.  I don't think anyone guessed there were beets in the cake or that there was tofu in the icing!  Also, note that I think this icing should be used just before serving - I iced it a couple of hours in advance and the icing had started to crack slightly by the time we ate it.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)