Beetroot Fudge Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat a conventional oven to 160ºC, or a fan-assisted one to 140ºC. With the help of a brush and a tiny bit of sunflower oil, grease the surface of a round 20cm diameter by 8cm high loose-bottomed tin and set aside.
• Melt the chocolate gently in a bowl over a pan of simmering water until all dissolved, then set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, the scraped-out vanilla seeds, the maple syrup and the honey for three minutes with an electric hand whisk until pale and quite fluffy.
• Gently fold in the flours, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cocoa and ground almonds until fully incorporated.
• Using some kitchen paper, dab the grated beetroot thoroughly to remove some of the excess moisture. Fold in the beetroot, cooled chocolate, coffee and oil with the help of a spatula until thoroughly mixed together.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and cook in the middle of the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. After this time, cover the cake with foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
• Test the cake by inserting a skewer into the centre to see if it comes out clean (although this cake is so moist that even when the cake is fully cooked, the skewer comes out looking slightly messy). Leave to cool on a wire rack.
• To make the fudge topping, melt the chocolate gently in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then remove from the heat and add the coffee and the vanilla essence.
• At this stage the chocolate will seize up slightly, but it will relax back once you add the honey and gently mix inches.
• Set aside to cool for 15 minutes before icing the cake. Cut the cake through the middle and ice it in the centre and on all sides.
• Decorate the top with whatever you fancy, but I like using pink flowers, such as tulips or roses, which I plant into the cake with a bit of stem left on.

Steps:

• Cake: Place beets in a steamer basket set in a saucepan containing 2 inches of simmering water. Cover and steam until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree in a food processor until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square or round cake pan with oil. Line bottom with parchment; brush parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in eggs, water, oil, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cups beet puree (reserve remaining puree for another use, refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days). Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is set and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes. Invert cake onto rack; let cool completely.
• Chocolate-Ganache Frosting: Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat cream until just simmering. Pour cream over chocolate; let stand 10 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour. Use immediately.
• Place cake on a cake plate and spread evenly with frosting. Cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature up to 2 days.

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt chocolate and 1/4 cup butter; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream the remaining butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs., In a small bowl, combine the chocolate mixture, beets and vanilla. , Beat into creamed mixture (mixture will appear separated). Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. , Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 375° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• For the penuche frosting: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. Make sure to not scrape the sides of the pan. Add the half-and-half and bring to a boil for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Gradually add the confectioners' sugar to the butter mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium until thick, smooth and creamy. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
• For the chocolate fudge frosting: Over a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the butter. Add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add the vanilla and instant coffee, if using, and stir until smooth. Makes about 3 cups.
• For the chocolate beet cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans with vegetable oil.
• In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar and 1/2 cup vegetable oil and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light pale yellow and fluffy.
• Melt the chocolate and remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over (not it) a pot of simmering water.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, and then add the beets and vanilla and mix. Slowly add the dry ingredients just until everything is incorporated. Put the batter in the prepared cake pans and bake until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Frost the cake between the layers with the penuche frosting and the outside of the cake with the chocolate fudge frosting.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Tip the beetroot into a food processor and blitz until chopped. Add a pinch of salt and the rest of the ingredients, except the oil and chocolate. When completely mixed (you may need to scrape the sides down once or twice), add the oil in a steady stream, as if you were making mayonnaise.
• When all the oil has been added, stir in the chocolate, then tip the mix into a lined 900g loaf tin. Cook for 1 hr until an inserted skewer comes out practically clean. leave the loaf to cool on a rack. Serve in slices with the crème fraîche or clotted cream.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Make the first batch of sponges by greasing and lining two 20cm round tins. Gently melt 125g butter and 100g chocolate together in a saucepan. Mix 250g flour, 250g sugar, 1 tbsp cocoa, ½ tsp bicarb and ¼ tsp salt in a large mixing bowl. Whizz one egg with 100g yogurt and 200g beetroot in a food processor or blender until fairly smooth. Put the kettle on.
• Tip the beetroot mix into the dry ingredients along with the melted chocolate mixture and 150ml boiling water, then stir to combine. Stir in half the food colouring, if using, and divide the mixture between the tins. Bake for 25 mins until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to make two more sponges - or if you're lucky enough to have four 20cm sandwich tins, you can bake in a big batch all at once.
• To make the frosting, briefly beat together the cream cheese and butter, then beat in the icing sugar and vanilla. Use a little to sandwich the cooled cakes together, then swirl the rest all over the sandwiched cakes and decorate with sweets, if you like. Sit the cake somewhere cool (not the fridge) to set a little before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Tip the beetroot into a food processor and whizz to a purée. Add the remaining ingredients, along with ¼ tsp salt, and blend until well combined. Scrape into the cake tin, level the surface and bake for 50 mins-1 hr or until a skewer comes out clean.
• Leave the cake to cool in the tin while you make the icing. Put the ingredients in a small saucepan, heat and whisk until smooth. Cool for 20 mins.
• Flip the cake onto a wire rack, flat-side up. Pour over the icing and leave to cool completely. Sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings (if using), then serve.