... and the beet goes on !

We pulled the last of the beetroot on Monday, although only a few little 'uns were left standing.

After some humming and harring, we decided to use them in a chocolate beetroot cake... yes, that's right. Chocolate beetroot cake !

Ingredients

• 50g bitter cocoa powder
• 180g plain flour
• 1½tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 250g caster sugar
• 300g cooked fresh beetroot
• 3 eggs
• 200ml corn oil
• 1tsp vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4. Butter and flour an 18cm (7in) round or square cake tin.

Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Mix in the sugar and set aside.

Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the corn oil and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the beetroot mixture into the well. Lightly mix, using a rubber spatula, and pour into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. It won’t rise a great deal and the top may crack a bit. Allow to cool a little before removing from the tin, then leave to cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, dust the cake with icing sugar or bitter cocoa powder, and cut into generous slices.

The results is a rich, soft, moist, chocolate cake with a really nice flavour... you should definitely give this a try !