Beetroot chocolate cake

Cake
2 cups grated beetroot (simmer 3 whole beetroots until soft)
2 ½ cups plain flour
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups light oil
4 eggs
2 tsp salt
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 9-inch cake tin. Combine sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla essence in a bowl. Sift in dry ingredients. Fold in grated beetroot. Bake for 45-55 minutes in fan-forced oven.

Icing
230g soft butter
3 ½ cups icing sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp pouring cream
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla essence

Beat butter, cocoa powder and icing sugar in a stand-up mixer on medium speed for two minutes until it starts to change colour and becomes soft in texture. Add cream, vanilla and salt and beat for another two minutes until the mixture is light brown and can form shape but is soft.

Assemble

Once cake is cooled, slice in half to make two layers. Spread icing on the first layer and press the top layer over the icing. Decorate cake with remaining icing and top with edible flowers.

Recipe kindly supplied by:

Orepuki Beach Café
33 Stafford Street, Orepuki
(03) 234 5211