Name: Chocolate beetroot cake
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: Serves 10
Ingredients: 175g unsalted butter cubed, plus extra for the tin; 200g dark chocolate roughly chopped; (look for unflavoured vac-packed) 250g cooked beetroot roughly chopped; 3 eggs; 150g soft light brown sugar; 175g self-raising flour; 30g cocoa powder; to serve (optional) crème fraîche

175g unsalted butter
cubed, plus extra for the tin
200g dark chocolate
roughly chopped
(look for unflavoured vac-packed) 250g cooked beetroot
roughly chopped
3 eggs
150g soft light brown sugar
175g self-raising flour
30g cocoa powder
to serve (optional) crème fraîche

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a deep 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
step 2
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a bowl set over but not touching a pan of gently simmering water. Take off the heat and cool a little.
step 3
Put the beetroot in a food processor or high-speed blender and whizz to a purée. Add the eggs and sugar, and whizz again.
step 4
Put the flour and cocoa powder in a bowl and mix together. Stir in the beetroot purée, then the chocolate-butter mixture until you have a uniform batter. Scoop into the tin and level out. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until risen.
step 5
Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes then unclip and leave to cool completely. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche, if you like.