Beetroot Chocolate Cake
By Amanda Scali

Do you have a special birthday coming up for a family member or colleague?

 
You might be looking to whip up a cake that is not only enjoyable but looks after a few different dietary requirements as well.

 
This delicious cake is dairy-free and vegan and gets a big tick of approval in taste.

 
What you’ll need:
 
1 cup beetroot puree
2 tablespoons flax meal
4 tablespoons water
2 cups sprouted spelt flour or whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache
170g semi-sweet dark chocolate pieces
3/4 cup full fat coconut milk
 
 

Method:
 

Prepare Beetroot Puree

 
Peel and quarter 3-4 medium-sized beetroots. Steam the beets for 15 minutes or until a knife easily pierces them. Add the cooked beets to a food processor and blend until smooth. Measure out 1 cup for use and set aside.

 
For the Cake Base

 
Preheat the oven to 120degrees. Line an 8" round cake pan with parchment paper and grease around the side.

 
In a small bowl, combine the flax meal and water and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until thickened.

 
Meanwhile in a large bowl, sift together the spelt flour, cane sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the centre and set aside.

 
In a small bowl, combine the flax mixture, beetroot puree, olive oil, almond milk and vanilla. Add the beet mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined.

 
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.


Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the cake from the pan, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely on a wire rack. While the cake is cooling, prepare the ganache.

 
Ganache

 
Add the chocolate pieces to a medium-sized heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, gently heat the coconut milk until steaming, but not bubbling.

 
Carefully pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is melted. Allow the ganache to thicken at room temperature for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 
Using an offset spatula, frost the cooled cake and serve.