Red Velvet Cake

Jul 23, 2018

The things that sets this luscious, cake apart, are its rich, sexy colour and the cheeky addition of ginger and cardamom.   In an nutshell, it's a one way ticket to Cake Heaven…….dark rich chocolate, creamy mascarpone icing and ...... beetroot.

What???!!

Yes, don't be fooled by the humble beetroot.  Its earthy sweetness and colour bestow a little cakey mystique.  Its texture makes this sponge irresistably light moist and moreish.  

The ingredients below are for 23inch square cake.  To keep the freshness I recommend just icing half the cake and freezing the other half for a treat another time.   I've sprinked the top with a little freeze-dried raspberries to add a little extra fizz and colour.

For the cake:

200g beetroot
150g 85% dark chocolate or no added sugar plain chocolate
2 tbs ginger puree
2 tsp cardamon
150g almond flour
1½ tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
5 eggs
120g butter
5 tbs erythritol

For the icing:
200g mascarpone
1tbsp (erythritol whizzed to icing sugar consistency)
1 heaped tsp ginger puree

23cm cake tin.  Gas mark  4 – 350F/180C  50 minutes

Boil the beetroot until tender.  (About an hour).  Remove skin and chop and puree.
Put the chocolate and beetroot puree in a warm oven until the chocolate has melted. (Around 10 mins if the oven is pre-heating for the cake)
Meanwhile whisk the eggs, ginger and sweetener until the eggs pale.
Once the chocolate has melted add the choc and beetroot puree to the mix
Melt the butter and add to the cake mix too and blend well.
Finally, in a separate bowl mix the almond flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to the cake batter and fold in well.
Pour the batter into the cake tin.  Cook until a skewer comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.

Mix mascarpone, ginger puree and xylitol together.   Wait until the cake is completely cooled to apply the icing.  If you fancy - sprinkle some freeze dried raspberry on the top.