Chocolate Beetroot Cake (vegan)
This vegan chocolate beetroot cake is soft, fudgy, and irresistible! The hidden beetroot adds a subtle earthiness and sweetness, and keeps it wonderfully moist. This cake satisfies all your chocolate cravings, while being less sweet than a traditional chocolate cake.
Ingredients
Beetroot Mixture
- 200g or 7-ounce raw beetroot (this is about 1 medium beetroot)
- 1 cup (250g) dairy-free milk warm
- 3 tablespoons (30g) roughly chopped vegan chocolate
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional but adds depth of flavor
Cake Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose plain flour (note 1 for gluten-free option)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ cup (50g) dutch-process cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder for a milder chocolate flavor
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (85g) neutral flavored oil or a mild olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate ganache frosting (optional)
- 1 cup (200g or 7-ounce) roughly chopped vegan chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1 cup (230g or 8-ounce) dairy-free cream or canned coconut cream (thick part only, note 2)
Beetroot icing (optional)
- ¼ cup (25g) powdered sugar / icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon melted vegan butter
- 1-2 teaspoons beetroot juice or water reserved from cooking the beetroot (note 3)
Instructions
Prepare the beetroot mixture:
- Remove the stems and peel the beetroot. Cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) chunks.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add the beetroot. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the beetroot is fork tender. Drain the beetroot. If you want to make the beetroot frosting, reserve a few teaspoons of the pink beet water.
- Add the warm beetroot and milk to a blender and blend until it's as smooth as possible (note 4). Stir in the chocolate and espresso powder and set it aside for 5 minutes to let the chocolate melt. If the chocolate hasn't melted, warm up the beet mixture in the microwave or the stovetop.
Prepare the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line an 8-inch (20cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Add all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, raising agents and salt) to a large mixing bowl and mix until very well combined. Add the warm beetroot mix and the rest of the wet ingredients to the bowl and stir until just combined. Some lumps are fine, but make sure there are no streaks of flour or wet ingredients.
- Pour batter into your prepared cake pan. Bake for 43-48 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
Make the ganache (optional):
- Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes to soften the chocolate.
- Stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth ganache. Let the ganache cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours. You can also let it set in the fridge, but it won't set evenly.
- Once it has cooled, use it as is or beat it with an electric mixer to make it lighter and fluffier.
Make the beetroot frosting (optional):
- Mix the powdered sugar, melted butter and 1 teaspoon of beetroot water in a small bowl until combined. Drizzle in extra beetroot water to thin the frosting. It should be thick and almost spreadable, rather than a thin drizzle.
- When the cake has fully cooled, top with the chocolate ganache and beetroot frosting. Cut the cake and serve!
- Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The beetroot frosting may change color over time, so it's best to add this to the cake on the day of serving.
Notes
- This recipe works well with King Arthur's gluten-free measure for measure flour! My team and I haven't tested the recipe with any other gluten-free flour. Usually I can use half almond flour and half gluten-free all-purpose flour in cakes, but I haven't tested it for this recipe.
- Coconut cream results in a thicker ganache frosting so you may want to add an extra dash of milk or cream for a more spreadable frosting.
- For a stronger pink color, you can add a few drops of pink food coloring.
- If you're using a small personal blender with an airtight lid, please don't blend the beetroot and milk when it's hot. The hot air won't be able to escape and your blender might explode/pop when you open the lid. After you've blended the mixture, heat it up to melt the chocolate etc.