Chocolate Beetrootcake...

This cake took a long time for me to be convinced... Been seeing this a lot in several versions but never ventured beyond curiosity. I was not too sure about having beetroot in my chocolate cake. This week i had a glut of beetroot in my fridge and thought why not !!.

It was both surprise and revelation to me. Not only the cake came out super soft and super moist i could never smell or feel any beetroot in there, which is what i was totally skeptical about. I layered and lathered it with rich chocolate ganache and served it with fresh strawberries . I think it is one of the best chocolate cakes i have ever tasted.

Though there are several recipes available i followed chef Ross Burden's version simply because his recipe suggests to cook and puree the beetroot though many other recipes add just plain grated beetroot like we do for carrot cake. I think the puree blended well with the cake mixture and gave it a sort of rich purplish brown colour and great texture.

Ingredients:
85g dark chocolate
3 medium eggs
300g sugar
240ml sunflower oil
300g cooked beetroot, peeled and pureed
30g cocoa powder
200g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
250ml double cream

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour a 25cm spring-release cake tin.

2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water.

3. Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs with the sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl, then gradually beat in the beetroot puree. Stir in the melted chocolate.

4. Sift the cocoa, flour and bicarbonate of soda over the surface and mix in thoroughly.

5. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes or until the centre springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

6. While the cake is cooling make the ganache. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream almost to boiling point, then pour over the chocolate. Beat together until the chocolate has melted into the cream making a ganache.

7. While the ganache is still warm use to ice the chocolate. Set aside to cool and harden. Serve the cake with ice cream and fresh strawberries.

Chocolate Cup Cakes...

NOV is a month of birthdays ! at least in my calendar. So my dear friend 'C'who hates to celebrate birthdays had no choice but to take us in when a bunch of us stood at her door with goodies and tiny birthday slogans !. She is plain embarrassed she says!. But would that stop us from baking cakes and cards and gifts ! No never!.

'L'my other friend baked a beautiful orange flavoured cake with dotty dates chips in them. It was so light and full of flavour!. Now i am going to pester her for the recepie! Honestly it was so good!..

I made chocolate cup cakes!!.

I adapted this from Hershey's recipe and absolutely loved it. I liked it for two reasons . One it did not have even an ounce of butter in it and secondly it called for basic ings.. nothing exotic.

It turned out super moist and super soft. I think it is a must have recipe for all cup cakes fans like me. I adore cup cakes!!.




Choco Cup Cakes

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup veg oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Method

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder,b.soda and salt in a large bowl.

Add eggs, milk , oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of of hand mixer for 2 mins.

Stir in boiling water and continue to mix. ( Batter will be thin)

Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups

Fill 2/3 cups and bake for 20 to 22 mins

Cool completely.

They taste good with out icing or frosting. But those of you who don't mind can dip them in Ganache and enjoy them with a blob of ice cream...


For the Ganache

1/4 cup cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Heat cream till steaming

Remove from heat and add chocolate and let it stand for 5 mins

Add the butter and stir till smooth.


Enjoy!