The inspiration for this week’s post comes from the fact that I will be celebrating my birthday this weekend…whop whop! And birthday means birthday cake and what I cake I have for you. It’s a beetroot cake! This birthday it’s a bit of a milestone for both me and my one and only but at least I am not moving age bracket…you know…the one you need to tick when you declare your age in surveys for example..muhahaha.
So what better way to celebrate than bake a cake! I must confess…I am not just a foodie…but I also LOVE bakes and sweets. Now, you will turn around and possibly tell me off for saying this. But, knowing how toxic refined sugar is (if you still don’t know check my older post S stands for Sugar to find out why), the challenge I am always giving myself is what recipes can I come up with that are not completely nutritionally deprived. Also, in the same time…even though the recipes I come up with are much better than your conventional high fat, high sugar, white flour desserts I still treat them as a…treat:). So please do indulge in these amazing dessert recipes but in moderation.
So why is this beetroot cake better than a normal cake?
Well, firstly it does not have any flour…which means it’s automatically gluten free:).
Secondly, the content of sugar (and not refined sugar) is minimal. I am of the strong belief most cake recipes ask for too higher amount of sugar and then the cakes become too sweet and sickly..my teeth start hurting already only at the thought of it!
Thirdly, it doesn’t contain any fat (apart from cocoa butter found in the chocolate).
And lastly, it’s made with beetroot which is in season now in the UK so why not take advantage. It has amazing health benefits! It’s phytochemicals stimulate the production of a detoxifying antioxidant cleansing the liver. It is high in antioxidants and iron which help lower bad cholesterol, regulate blood pressure as well as nourishes the blood. Beetroot has an amazing flavour: earthy, sweet and buttery (especially when cooked) which complements this cake. So no better reason not to try this beetroot cake!
Ingredients
200g dark chocolate (85% cocoa solids)
100g dark chocolate for decorating (85% cocoa solids)
250g cooked beetroot
4 large eggs (separated)
120g coconut sugar
120g ground almonds or walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp. raw cocoa powder
Zest of 2 oranges
STEP 1:
Gently steam the beetroots at low gas on the hob. The fresher they are the faster they will cook which means they can help retain all essential nutrients. I would halve or quarter them to ensure they cook faster. Depending on the size they could take 30min-40min. You can check if they are cooked by piercing with a fork and ensuring it goes through. Peel them carefully while they are still warm so the peel can easily come off and then grate them in a food processor. Red hand alert! Your hands will get stained which will go away in a day after washing or you could wear gloves.
STEP 2:
Break the chocolate and melt it over a pan of simmering water making sure the water does not touch the bowl (a bain marie).
STEP 3:
Mix together the beetroot, egg yolks, sugar, almonds/walnuts , baking powder, zest of the orange and cocoa powder with the melted chocolate until all ingredients are well combined.
STEP 4:
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks appear. Take a spoonful of the egg whites and mix them with the beetroot mixture. Fold the rest of the egg whites being careful not to take all the air out. This will ensure the cake will be light and fluffy. Place the mixture into a lined cake tin in a preheated oven at 180 degress for around 40 min or until the cake has risen and cooked through.
Decorate with melted chocolate and orange zest. Serve with a dollop of yogurt. And DONE! So easy, simple and indulging beetroot cake. It’s quickly becoming my favourite…I hope it will be yours too!
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