Katrina Meynink's beetroot chocolate cake

Beetroot adds a dark, decadent earthy touch to this cake, and lessens the sweetness of the chocolate so that the icing can shine.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g butter, room temperature
• 200g brown sugar
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 5 medium-large eggs
• 60g cocoa powder
• 300g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• ¼ cup dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• 300g cooked beetroot (preferably roasted)

Icing

• 1-1½ cups icing sugar
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 20g melted butter
• 2-3 tbsp condensed milk
• ½ cup fresh strawberries, to serve

METHOD

1. Grease and line a loaf tin and preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional).
2. Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium speed until pale and creamy.
3. Add the vanilla bean paste, then the eggs one at a time, incorporating each egg fully before adding the next one.
4. Combine the cocoa and flour then add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Add a pinch of salt and the baking powder and mix briefly.
5. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and the sour cream and beat briefly.
6. Grate or blitz the beetroot then stir through the cake mixture.
7. Scoop mixture into the loaf tin and even out the top with a spatula. The mixture is thick but don't be alarmed. Cook for approximately 45-55 minutes, then allow to cool in tin before turning out.
8. Add the icing ingredients to a bowl, starting with 1 cup of the icing sugar, and stir with a fork to combine, adding the condensed milk slowly until the icing is thick and shiny. Generously slather the cake in icing and finish with fresh strawberries.

Serves 8

Recipe brought to you by ALDI

​This recipe is from Good Food's new TV show, Good Food Kitchen, premiering on Channel 9 at 1pm Saturday, October 9, or catch up on 9Now.