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Carrot cakes are tasty but common, so I have revamped my favourite carrot cake recipe with beetroot. Beetroot can taste slightly muddy, thus they should be cooked before adding to the batter.
BEETROOT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Makes one 18cm (7in) cake or 6 small cakes
Butter for greasing
Self-raising flour 2 Tbsp + more for dusting
Raw almonds 110 g (4 oz)
Stewed sweetened beetroot (see recipe below) 125 g (41/2 oz)
Lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
Eggs 2, large, separated
Caster sugar 100 g (31/2 oz)
Raisins 2 Tbsp
Chocolate ganache (see below) to serve
• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Using a pastry brush, grease cake tin or 6 small ramekins with butter and lightly dust with flour.
• Pulse almonds in a food processor into a fine powder.
• Combine almonds, stewed beetroot, flour and lemon zest in a mixing bowl and mix well, using your fingers, to make sure there are no lumps.
• Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Stir in beetroot mixture using a slotted spoon.
• Wash and dry electric beaters. Using a clean, dry bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold this into the batter and add the raisins.
• Spoon batter into cake tin or ramekins. Bake for 15–22 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin or ramekins for a few minutes before running a knife around edges and turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Top with chocolate ganache.
Chocolate ganache:
Thickened cream 280 ml (91/3 fl oz)
Dark chocolate 250 g (9 oz), chopped
Whisky or hazelnut liqueur (optional) 1 Tbsp
• Heat cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until just hot. Pour cream over the chocolate and leave, untouched, to immerse for 3 minutes, then stir to combine. Add a splash of whiskey or hazelnut liqueur, if using.
STEWED SWEETENED BEETROOT
Beetroots 2, medium, peeled and sliced
Brown sugar 45 g (11/2 oz)
Port or sweet wine 2 Tbsp
Orange zest from 1/2 orange
Greek or plain yoghurt 250 ml (8 fl oz / 1 cup)
Crunchy muesli to serve
• In a small pan, add all ingredients, except yoghurt and muesli, and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes or until the beetroot is soft and sweet.
• Place a layer of beetroot at the bottom of a serving glass. Top with a layer of yoghurt. Repeat with another layer of beetroot and yoghurt. Sprinkle over with some muesli and serve.
hi would love to win this book it looks fantastic xx
I am a poor student and i need help with my cook book fetish. I have many years to catch up to my Nana’s and Mums library of delicious knowledge. Help feed my addiction to yummyness.
Have just discovered you and oh my goodness, love it!!
I look forward to your regular updates of delicous recipes and many interesting ideas!
Thank you.
This looks a good book to use up what we already have at home.it would also be good for those who dont cook.
I think the kids would be happy if i could create a perfect meal…… let’s just say I don’t stand a chance on master chef…
Loving the mag and all the tips, helps and info
Sometimes I get into a rut with cooking for myself. I’d love a perfect meal!
Oh, count me in. This looks great
A great book to enhance the basics, sensible yet meals produced with flair!
Would love this book. always on the search for new recipes and have a great stash of cookbooks to help me along the way.
this would be a great book to have in my collection
Looks like an awesome book – it’s always great having a cook book that is adventurous with new and different ways of mixing and blending ingredients
What a fantastic idea! Looks like a great book.
Awesome, please put me in. Thriftiness in the kitchen comes down to storage space. If you have the space you can really stock up on specials and it makes a huge difference to your weekly shopping total.
Never underestimate how good a fry up of leftovers can taste! And you feel good about not being wasteful.
That age old advice about not shopping when you are hungry really helps save the unnecessary spending, aswell as the waist line.
Love a cookbook that uses everyday ingredients and teaches you how to make delicious meals
Instead of grating lemon zest on a grater with the risk of losing finger nails, peel the skin thinly with a potato peeler. Put the required sugar for the recipe into a kitchen whiz, add peel and whiz until peel is fine. Good for lemon honey or lemon cakes.
I love the sound of this book. Start simple & jazz it up. Can’t wait to try the beetroot cake!
hello,loving the mag.
another tip from me:
smelly fridge? just pop some bicarb in a little saucer and put it in fridge.
smells will be absorbed.
I would love to give this to my student daughter, just to prove there is more in life than 2 minute noodles!
You have some really good ideas and I hope that this mag really takes off and love that it’s on line
Cool! The easier the recipe, the better for me. Sounds like a good book.
Fabulous to have something different!