Beetroot & chocolate cake

Name: Beetroot & chocolate cake
Ingredients: 1 small orange; 1 tbsp icing sugar; ½ tsp vegetable oil; 500 g raw beetroot, peeled, grated; 150 g buttermilk; 3 tbsp white wine vinegar; 2 tsp vanilla bean paste; 400 g caster sugar; 4 free-range eggs; juice and zest of 2 oranges; 500 g plain flour; 3 tbsp baking powder; 4 tbsp cocoa powder; 2 tbsp honey, for the glaze; 185 g butter, softened; 250 g icing sugar; grated zest of 1 orange; 180 g cream cheese; 4 figs, cut into sixths; 2 small punnets of blackberries; honey, to drizzle

This beetroot & chocolate cake by Miele Der Kern is a real showstopper, boasting a fruity topping of dried orange, pomegranate & blackberries – yum! Enjoy!

Brought to you by Der Kern by Miele

Looking for a stylish bake? This beetroot & chocolate cake by Miele Der Kern is a real showstopper!

The combination of beetroot and chocolate work perfectly together. And if that's not enough, this tasty bake boasts a sweet and fruity topping of dried orange, pomegranate and blackberries – yum! Enjoy!

Content continues after advertisements

Servings

Ingredients

For the dried orange slices

1 small orange
1 tbsp icing sugar
½ tsp vegetable oil

For the cake

500 g raw beetroot, peeled, grated
150 g buttermilk
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
400 g caster sugar
4 free-range eggs
juice and zest of 2 oranges
500 g plain flour
3 tbsp baking powder
4 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp honey, for the glaze

For the icing

185 g butter, softened
250 g icing sugar
grated zest of 1 orange
180 g cream cheese

To finish

4 figs, cut into sixths
2 small punnets of blackberries
honey, to drizzle

Instructions

For the dried orange slices

Place a silicone mat onto a baking tray. Lightly grease with vegetable oil. Slice an orange very thinly and lay out on the silicone mat, then dust with 1 tbsp icing sugar.

Place into a Miele Warming Drawer on the food setting, highest temperature square (85°C) for 4 hours, or on your lowest oven setting for 4 hours, until dry and crisp.

For the cake

Line and grease four 18cm (7in) sandwich cake tins. Preheat a Miele Oven to Fan Plus at 150°C, or to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 in a regular oven.

Put the beetroot, buttermilk, white wine vinegar and vanilla bean paste into a food processor and blitz to a purée.

Put the caster sugar, eggs and orange zest into a large bowl. Whisk using an electric hand whisk for 3-4 minutes until light and pale.

In a separate bowl, mix together the plain flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.

Fold the beetroot mixture into the whisked egg mixture, followed by the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter between the four lined cake tins. Place on baking trays in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.

For the glaze

Place the juice of 2 oranges and the honey into a small saucepan, and bring to the boil on the hob. Remove from the heat.

Once the cakes are cooked, place on a wire rack. Brush with the glaze, repeating on all cakes, using up the glaze. Leave to cool completely.

For the icing

Whisk together the butter, icing sugar and orange zest for 2-3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and whisk for a further minute. Transfer to piping bag with a 1.5cm (1/2in) nozzle.

On three of the cakes, pipe dots of the icing in a ring around the edge. Fill in the centre with a little more icing and some halved blackberries. Place these cakes on top of one another, finishing with the blank cake.

Arrange the figs, blackberries and the dried orange slices on top. Add dots of the icing and a drizzle of honey to finish.