Recipe Resort: Beetroot Cake

Last month we had an absolute glut of beetroot, so I had plenty of reason for looking for some new recipes. One of those that I came up with was beetroot cake. Its similar to carrot cake, but a little bit sweeter (particularly if you use white beetroot), so you don't need any icing ontop. Very filling, its a good one to have at hand. Don't be afraid to adapt the mixture to get the right just-drop-off-the-spoon consistency.


Ingredients

• 170g self-raising wholemeal flour
• 1tsp ground cinammon (or ginger)
• 100g brazil nuts
• 55g raisins
• 140g light brown sugar
• 200ml sunflower oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large beetroot
• 1 orange

Method

1. Preheat the overn to 180C. Grease a cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. 
2. Put the flour in a bowl with the cinammon. Add the brazil nuts and raisins, then stir
3. In another bowl, beat together the sugar and oil with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick syrup-like mixture. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
4. Wash and grate the beetroot. Grate off the orange rind, cut in half and then squeeze the orange.
5. Stir the grated beetroot, orange zest and juice into the egg and sugar mixture.
6. Fold the beetroot micture into the flour mixture until just combined. Add liquid or flour as necessary to achieve the correct constituency. 
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for around 50 minutes. Check that it is cooked using a skewer (no mixture should be retained when it is pulled out).
8. Leave on a wire rack to cool and then serve. 

Over to you

Do let me know if you've tried this recipe or, even better, 

why not share some pictures with us via. your blog or social networking sites.  

 Tomorrow's 'Suggested Activity' will be posted on 'The Story Factory Reading Zone'.