Flourless Chocolate & Roasted Beetroot Cake

Flourless Chocolate & Roasted Beetroot Cake with Avocado Icing

This is an easy and very delicious cake to make. It’s moist and yet not heavy. It’s flour, gluten and refined sugar free although still absolutely heavenly. You can really go to town and make the avocado icing or simply leave the cake plain and / or dust with cacao powder. If you do make the avocado icing, if there is any left over it makes exceptional chocolate mousse. On occasion, I’ve made chocolate ganache instead of the avocado icing and that also works beautifully. Top any leftover avocado icing with some raspberries and enjoy as a choc mousse, you’ll be in heaven! Enjoy this cake as a dessert or with afternoon tea.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 300g beetroot, whole washed
• 4 large eggs
• 6 Tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 1.5 Tbsp raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 130g ground almonds
• 200g dark chocolate, broken into small chunks
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil

For the avocado chocolate icing (optional):

• 2 medium / large ripe avocados
• 1/2 cup cacao powder or cocoa powder
• 7 Tbsp pure maple syrup or coconut nectar – or to taste
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste or seeds
• A pinch of fine sea salt

For the chocolate curls (optional):

• 1 x large bar / block of dark good quality chocolate
• 1 large sharp chef’s knife

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) cake tin.
2. Roast the beetroot:
   • Wrap the beetroot in baking paper or foil and roast in the oven for about an hour, or until completely tender when poked with a knife.
   • Remove from the oven, unwrap, and allow to cool slightly.
   • Peel the beetroot (the skins should slip off easily). Chop into large chunks and let cool further.
   • Puree the beetroot until smooth.
3. Prepare the cake batter:
   • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the beetroot puree, eggs, coconut sugar, vanilla paste, cocoa powder, and ground almonds.
4. Melt the chocolate and butter:
   • In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter together. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
   • Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture into the beetroot mixture and thoroughly combine.
5. Bake the cake:
   • Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
   • Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the tin.
6. Make the avocado chocolate icing:
   • Place all the icing ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
   • Transfer the icing to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
7. Ice the cake:
   • Once the cake is completely cooled, remove it from the tin and place it on a cake plate.
   • Spread the icing over the top of the cake using a spoon or palette knife.
8. Make the chocolate curls (optional):
   • Place the chocolate bar on a countertop, flat side up.
   • Using a large chef’s knife, drag the knife towards you at a 45-degree angle to create chocolate curls.
   • Gently transfer the curls to the cake.
9. Serve:
   • Top the cake with chocolate curls if using, and enjoy!

Note: Any leftover icing can be served as a mousse topped with raspberries.