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A Birthday with No Cake

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Monday: No Cake for Issi’s Birthday.

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Monday: Ollie all dressed up for Issi’s birthday but no cake

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Monday: Coffee but no cake

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Friday: Monica to the Rescue

Hearing that poor Issi had no birthday cake on Monday for her birthday, Monica sets her mind to creating something special, a cake so beautiful we came back for seconds AND asked for her secret recipe.

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IZZY’S CHOCOLATE BEETROOT CAKE (Copyright pending)

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With the addition of nuts (ground almonds) and beetroots, this is a healthier cake than your average chocolate cake.

Packed full of fibre, vitamin E and antioxidants. It does contain sugar and fat, although we have used olive oil (a heart healthy oil) as a substitute for butter.

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CAKE INGREDIENTS

  • 85 grams dark chocolate (I used Lindt dark cooking chocolate)
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 2 cups coconut sugar, which is a low GI sugar. Or you can simply use brown sugar (You can get coconut sugar at Woolies)
  • 1 cup olive oil or melted butter (or coconut oil)
  • 300 grams cooked beetroots (see method below for how to cook the beets)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1tbsp vanilla essence)
  • 1/2 cup cacao powder
  • 200 grams almond meal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (or gluten free baking powder)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • METHOD
  • Pre heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
  • 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).
  • When cooked, run the beets under cold water in the sink and rub off the skins.
  • Blend or mash the beetroots until slightly smooth but still some ‘chunks’ remaining.
  • 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).
  • 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).
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil.
  • Slowly add the cooked beet puree , the melted chocolate and vanilla into the egg mixture.
  • Beat just until combined. Don’t over work it.
  • Sift the cocoa. Add this and the almond meal (or plain flour), baking powder and salt to the beet batter.
  • Fold just until everything is combined. Don’t over mix the batter. 
  • 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.
  • Bake for approximately 50 minutes.
  • 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.
  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan.
  • While the cake is baking, work on the frosting.
  • INGREDIENTS FOR THE CREAM CHEESE ICING
  • 1 cup cream or sour cream ? 1packet of Cream Cheese
  • ½ cup Icing Sugar or honey ? Juice of ½ lime 
  • Plain chocolate bar for chocolate shaving decorations
  • METHOD: 
  • If using cream place the cream in a bowl and whip to soft peaks. 
  • Add the icing sugar and cream cheese and beat until combined (Add more or less sugar until the desired taste). 
  • If using sour cream add to cream cheese and icing sugar and beat till combined.
    Enjoy, Moni