Double Chocolate Beetroot Cake [vegan, dairy-free]
Decadent and fudgey, this vegan double chocolate beetroot cake is beyond good and sure to surprise unsuspecting palates. Beets are naturally sweet, and despite their distinctive flavour, they pair really well with chocolate—so well that they’re practically undetectable. Directions for making beetroot puree can be found in below; this can be made in advance to save on time.
Servings 8 people
Calories 349kcal
Ingredients
Chocolate Beetroot Cake
- 1 cup beet puree *see direction 1
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cups sprouted spelt flour or whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Dairy Free Chocolate Ganache
- 6 oz (170g) semi-sweet dark chocolate pieces
- ¾ cup full fat coconut milk
Instructions
Prepare Beetroot Puree
- Peel and quarter 3 medium-large sized beets (approx. 1 pound of beets). Steam the beets for 15 minutes or until a knife easily pierces them. Add the cooked beets to a food processor or high powered blender and blend until smooth. Measure out 1 cup for use and set aside.
For the Cake Base
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8" round cake pan with parchment paper and grease around the sides. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the flax meal and water and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until thickened. Meanwhile in a large bowl, sift together the spelt flour, cane sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the centre and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the flax mixture, beetroot puree, olive oil, almond milk and vanilla. Add the beet mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the cake form the pan, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely on a wire rack. While the cake is cooling, prepare the ganache.
Prepare the chocolate ganache
- Add the chocolate pieces to a medium sized heat proof bowl. In a small saucepan, gently heat the coconut milk until steaming, but not bubbling. Carefully pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate is melted. Allow the ganache to thicken at room temperature for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Note that the ganache may seem runny at first, but it will thicken to a spreadable texture after the elapsed time.
- Using an offset spatula, frost the cooled cake and serve.
Notes
Beetroot puree can be made in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use. It's also not necessary to let the puree cool before adding it to the cake batter.
If your coconut milk has separated during storage (it has a thick layer of fat and a watery layer), it's imperative that you mix it back together before measuring; a blender or food processor can assist with this if need be.
Nutrition
Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg
