OMG Chocolate & Beetroot Cake

As you know, a while ago I decided to stop my battle against beetroot and I felt completely in love with this amazing root.Yes, I'm not ashamed to admit that I find them delicious. Beets taste like sweet dirt. Like licking sugar spilled on the ground on a rainy day. And I love them.

Since then, I've tried to convert a few people. Just because I'm convinced that what’s most likely is that people who think they hate beets just haven’t tried them in the right form.

You may won't believe it, but there are still plenty of beetroot haters around. And I can proudly say I've done it. Or almost.

First step: ditch the vinegar. Honestly. Cheap vinegar cannot make any good to any food. At all. Not even gherkins. Nor pickled eggs. Yuk.

Second step: assume your wee will be red for a couple of days. Jokes apart, we have a friend that literally freaked out But you don’t have my permission to continue hating them.the first time he ate beets as an adult. Thought he had internal hemorrhage. Beetroot are pooptastically colorful. Let's move on.

Third step: buy them fresh. From a farmer's market to be possible. Any other variation (tinned, pre-boiled, pickled -didn't I told you to ditch the vinegar!-, etc.) are just disgraceful.

Fourth step: if any of the above works... mix it with chocolate. Everything works with chocolate. I even ate chocolate covered warms a couple of weeks ago in a food festival. Chocolate is the answer.

If you are a beets lover, then congratulations for your good taste. If you are still a hater, then I'm sorry but you don’t have my permission to continue hating them. At least, not until you’ve tried this ultimate chocolate and beetroot cake recipe.

You may be hesitant to take this advice from me, a reconverted beet-lover, but think of it this way: maybe, just maybe, there’s a good reason I am. And maybe, just maybe, this recipe marks the start of your life as a beet-lover too.

WHAT YOU NEED

300g 80% Cocoa Chocolate + 150gr in chunks + 100gr melted for coating
250g Raw Beetroot
4 Free-range Eggs
150g Sugar
120gr Linseed
50gr Spelt Flour + 50gr for dusting
1tsp Baking Powder
2tbsp Freeze Dried Raspberries
1tsp Olive Oil

WHAT YOU DO

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a cake tin with olive oil. Dust the sides of the tin lightly with flour, then tap the tin to get rid of any excess.

Melt 300gr chocolate in the microwave on medium high for about 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Repeat heating at shorter intervals, 10 to 15 seconds seconds, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted and has a smooth consistency. Set aside.

Peel the beetroot and grate in a food processor. Then put into a large mixing bowl.

Separate the eggs, placing the whites into a large mixing bowl and adding the yolks to the beetroot.

Stir the sugar, linseed, baking powder, spelt flour and melted chocolate into the beetroot and mix together well. Add the 150gr chocolate chunks and mix again.

With the help of an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites until you have stiff peaks.

Use a spatula to fold a quarter of the egg whites into the beetroot mixture to loosen, then once combined, fold in the rest but try not to over mix.

Add the mixture to the prepared cake tin and spread out evenly using a spatula.

Bake for around 50 minutes, or until risen and cooked through.

Allow the cake to cool slightly, then carefully turn it out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

Melt the remaining chocolate and spread the top of your cake. Sprinkle some freeze dried raspberries and serve.

This cake was chosen one of the chocolate cakes by Brides Magazine!