Beetroot chocolate cake

*Disclaimer: This recipe is a member recipe. It has not been tested by the taste.com.au team.

• 300g beetroots
• 85g dark chocolate
• 3 eggs
• 300g brown sugar
• 200ml olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 30g cocoa powder
• 200g almond meal (or plain flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (or gluten free baking powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream cheese frosting

• 1 cup light cream
• 1 cup light cream cheese
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 plain chocolate bar, for decoration

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Step 2

   To cook the beetroots, wash thoroughly and place in a pot full of cold water. Bring pot to the boil and cook the beets until soft when poked with a knife (approx 30 minutes though this depends on the size of the beets).

3. Step 3

   When cooked, run the beets under cold water in the sink and rub off the skins.

4. Step 4

   Blend or mash the beetroots until slightly smooth but still some 'chunks' remaining.

5. Step 5

   Reserve the water that you cooked the beetroots in (it will be bright red!) and re-use to cook rice, lentils etc (it will turn rice a lovely fun red colour).

6. Step 6

   Melt the chocolate (85grams) over a double boiler (or place the chopped chocolate in a bowl, cover with cling film and microwave on low for approximately 1 minute until chocolate has just melted. When you remove from the microwave, stir quickly to melt any pieces that are still solid).

7. Step 7

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil.

8. Step 8

   Slowly add the cooked beet puree , the melted chocolate and vanilla into the egg mixture.

9. Step 9

   Beat just until combined. Don’t over work it.

10. Step 10

    Sift the cocoa. Add this and the almond meal (or plain flour), baking soda and salt to the beet batter.

11. Step 11

    Fold just until everything is combined. Don’t over mix the batter.

12. Step 12

    Spread a teaspoon of butter or oil over the surface of a 10 inch cake pan. Sprinkle some flour all over, and tap out the excess. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin.

13. Step 13

    Bake for approximately 50 minutes.

14. Step 14

    Cake is ready when a tooth pick or skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Baking time may vary depending on the pan and oven you are using.

15. Step 15

    Remove from oven and leave to cool in the pan.

16. Step 16

    For the cream cheese icing: Place the cream in a bowl and whip to soft peaks.

17. Step 17

    Add the icing sugar and cream cheese and beat until combined (Add more or less sugar until the desired taste).

18. Step 18

    You can also use variations of this icing, by adding 1/2 cup cocoa or half a cooked blended beetroot.

19. Step 19

    Using a potato peeler, hold the chocolate bar in one hand and use the peeler to shave off curls of chocolate. Sprinkle these on top of the cake to decorate.