There’s not many times I will actually state, if you don’t make this cake you are missing out on something special !!!
But today that is one of them 🙊🙊
Who would have thought I would be so blown away with this recipe, I couldn’t produce a cake more to my liking at this time as this !!
Not overly chocolatey, hitting all the texture flavours and components in a cake that I can dream off 😍😍😍
One layer ……. because seriously less is more !!
Topped with Dairy Free Cream and filled with added extras……..namely BEETROOT 😂😂😂
Why you may ask.? ….Well it has been used before I know that for sure cos I’ve made in the past ‘ Just ‘ Gluten Free
I am an advocate off adding extra pulp of any description give the chance, especially in a GF V bake it changes a bake into something wonderful
Before you start to worry you cant taste one little bit of beetroot😜 but it enhances the chocolate , adds a natural sweetness and generally just is a great thing
I’m sure there’s a whole host of medical benefits…. but lets be honest we are talking cake here , don’t get carried away ( even though I may have had to sample 3 sliced in 2 days …….for blog purposes obviously 😜😜😜😜).
So everything in moderation please…..or just face plant it and call it all your’s😂
Right before I go any futher this is natural beetroot the un -vinegared kind
Please don’t think you can buy a jar and wash all the vinegar off ……really even that mate of mine wouldn’t do that !!!
If you buy fresh beetroot here’s a quick link for prep, I personally wouldn’t boil it you loose a lot of colour and flavour ( yes I know I said you couldn’t taste it but it enhances the cocoa )
The balance in this bake is as the recipe stands, but please feel free to use what ever fresh berried fruit is in season , balckberries are the best option in the UK even on import the rest seem a little bland !!
The orange zest in the cream is a given, please don’t miss an orange element out, if you decide to not top it or add something else either add it to the cake or to the topping ( a chocolate ganache, I wouldn’t be going a caramel route this cake needs fruity balance )
I used Schlafgix for my cream of choice, easy no hassle and whips up in no time
I’ve tried Elmleas new plant based double cream out for an alternative ( its not however listed as Dairy Free due to contamination at the factory ) but for those of you who can or want to use it I advise a stand mixer its a pig to whip and needs some stabilisation too!!
https://schlagfix.com/index.php/en/
Right I’m desperate to get on with this bake and I hope you are too….please please remember its all in the bake and all in the crumbporn leave the beetroot at the back of your mind its there as a carrier not as a flavour !!
Chocolate and Beetroot Cake GF, DF, V, Nut and Coconut Free
A delicious moist chocolate cake, with hidden extra veggies !!! All blinged up and ready to share , however you want
Ingredients
- 200 g Gluten Free Plain Flour Blend ( if not using your own I recommend Doves Farm Plain , UK or Pilsbury US )
- 1/4 tsp Xanthan gum ( omit if your blend contains it )
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 25 g Cocoa Powder
- 75 g Caster / Superfine Sugar
- 75 g Soft Brown Sugar
- 250 ml Dairy Free Milk ( I used Soya )
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 120g Pureed Beetroot ( Fresh Steamed or vacuumed packed , make sure its NOT in vinegar !!!!)
- 60 ml of Vegetable or Sunflower OIl
- 1 tsp of Vanilla Extract Decoration if required
- 200 ml Dairy Free Whipping Cream – I used Shlagfix
- Soft Fruit of choice , I used Blackberries
- 50 g Chocolate (gluten Free and Vegan ) I used Sainsbury Free From Dark
- Zest of an Orange
Directions
- Pre heat your oven to 160 C Fan / 180 C Standard / 350 F
- Grease and line your choosen baking tin ….mines is 8 in
- Add the Apple Cider Vinegar to the Milk and leave to stand whilst you do the rest …….about 5 minutes minimum to curdle and get thicker
- Add the flour blend, xanthan ( if using ) baking powder, bicarb and cocoa to a bowl and whisk together
- Sieve the dry ingredients, just do it !!!! NO SHORTCUTS !!!!!!
- Add the caster and the brown sugar to the flour mix and mix with a whisk to combine
- In a bowl blitz the beetroot until a mush . you can use a food processor or blender nut it wasn’t worth the washing up 🙊🙈😂😂
- Add the Oil , milk and the vanilla to the mushed beets and whisk together
- Add the beets mix to the dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined with a spatula
- Put in the lined baking tin and place in the middle rack in the pre heated oven
- Bake for 30 minutes, until springy to touch and a cocktail stick or cake tester comes out clean
- Take out of the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 20 minutes , before removing and onto a cooling rack to go full cold Embrace the cracking on this bake…..i always do its means excellent lift and full of moisture…….you will be blinging it NEVER look as this as failure, if you want to trim it feel free !!!! But really get a grip in this bake 😜😜😜
- Whip Dairy Free Cream of choice and grate zest of one orange into it and sppon onto cake with a flourish 😜😜
- Add Fruit to top
- Grate half the chocolate over the top
- Melt rest of chocolate at 5 second intervals in the microwave until melted leave to cool for 5 minutes then drizzle with a fork over the whole cake
- Enjoy
So there you go, it couldn’t be more simplier , a good solid bake that is easy and quick to do !!
Well you know me I like simple but not to simple , maybe I just like unfussy and delicious
This cake will last 5 days in the fridge covered…..IT WONT LAST THAT LONG !!
Just take it out 30 minutes before serving to enjoy further 😍😍
I repeat If i haven’t converted you after you haven’t seen the usual bank of pretty pictures there really is no hope for YOU 😜😜😜
Hope you enjoyed the post !!
Please feel free to leave me a comment, or a like, it really does spur me on.
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Until next week……..Bye for now 💜💜💜
Please Share
Clares Cauldron 
Gorgeous! Lovely crumb…I will certainly be giving this one a go! ♥️
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Thank you Kim. My favourite cake too date….. and im a hard to please 😂😂💜
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Great post 🙂
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it 💜
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Would you happen to have any tips on how to use powdered beetroot in this? I can’t seem to find any other form of beets in my area besided the ones in the tin and or beetroot powder.
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Im not so sure. Possibly sub in Apple and add beet powder to it. But in all honestly I have no clue if that will work. The beet is there for moisture 💜
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Just realised youve said canned. Thats fine as long as its not pickled or in brine. Its not a product we have here
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I checked around and come to find out, your “beetroot” and our “beets” are the same thing lol. Yay 🙂 Back on track……
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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 international barriers 😂😂😂
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What a delicious looking cake Clare, I love the blackberries as fruit of choice for the topping. Just one question as I don’t think I have ever made a cake without eggs or egg substitute. What is it that compensates for the lack of eggs?
I must try this one😉
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It varies from cake to cake to be fair. This one has more bi carb , more milk and apple cider vinegar. As with egg white that causes lift and rise those components do the same . The beet itself acts as the binder as a yolk would do …. i just make sure i add enough of each plus extra fluid to combat the GF element
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Brilliant, thanks😘xx
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Very innovative! love the look, amazing
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Thank you. It really works a treat 💜
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