Chocolate beetroot cake

20 Aug

Serves 10

¾ cup canola or rice bran oil
¾ cup tightly-packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
300g (2 medium) beetroot, peeled and finely grated
½ cup currants
1¼ cups plain flour
½ cup walnut pieces
¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 160°C. Grease a 20cm ring tin and dust with flour.

2. Combine oil, sugar and eggs in a bowl and beat until pale. Stir in grated beetroot, currants, sifted flour and remaining dry ingredients.

3. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean but moist. Cool in tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ice with chocolate icing once cold.

Chocolate icing:
1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate, or melts
½ cup cream
¼ cup strong coffee

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and over a saucepan of gently simmering water or microwave in short bursts to melt. Stir until smooth, cool a little, then drizzle over cake.



How would you Freestyle this recipe? Tell us your tips and you could win some great prizes.
Walk in progress - Weekly people review 2011

The young Christchurch promotions model determined to walk again after tragically losing her legs in the February earthquake is still coping with the ongoing complications ... More

You need to know

Sign up for our newsletters and get the latest in gossip, beauty and food sent direct to your inbox... Sign up now

Over the Teacups

My four-year-old grandson was at the supermarket with his mother when he exclaimed, “You’re buying something, Mummy, auntie is buying something – I want to buy something!” Mum replied, “You have to be big, have a wife, have a job, then you can buy things.” He replied, “I have a wife – Maia,” meaning his four-year-old friend. Mum said, “What about a job?” Master Four replied, “My job is having a wife!”

Robyn, Whangarei

Water you want?

I was in the car and asking Master Three what he wanted for Christmas. He said he was going to ask Santa for a water pistol. “And Nanny,” he added, “I’m going to ask for some water for our paddling pool.” Now that could be interesting!

Julie, by email

Bee gone

Master Three had his first bee sting recently. The incident broke his heart, but after many cuddles he came right. Later he said, “I never want to see another bee again. I don’t like bees any more, I only like flies.”

Gaileen, by email

Fraud with worry

My daughter warned me that “old people are being taken for a ride,” and that I shouldn’t engage in conversation with phone sales people. To this, Master Five piped up, “Nana can’t go on that ride, she’s old.”

Joseph’s Nana, Hamilton

... More
Write to us - Over the Teacups