Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 60 ml / ¼ cup strong coffee*
  • 60 g / heaped ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 180 g / 6.35 oz raw beetroot, weight after peeling
  • ¾ cup / 180 ml almond (or other) plant milk, lukewarm
  • 200 g / 1 cup sugar (coconut sugar for refined sugar-free version)
  • 75 g / ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • 160 g / 1¼ cups white all-purpose flour or GF flour mix (I use this one)
  • 100 g / 3½ oz dark (70%) vegan chocolate**
  • 100 ml / 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp full fat coconut milk

Instruction

  • Heat up the oven to 180° C / 355° F (without the fan function) and grease and line a 2 lb cake tin (see NOTES) with a large strip of baking paper.
  • Brew a strong coffee, measure out 60 ml / ¼ cup and pour it over the coconut oil to melt it.
  • Slice beetroot thinly and place in a blender with coffee-oil mixture and lukewarm plant milk. Blend until the mixture is smooth and there are no pieces of beetroot left.
  • Transfer the beetroot mixture to a large mixing bowl.
  • Stir in sugar.
  • Place a sieve over the bowl and sift in cocoa powder, salt, both raising agents and flour in three batches. I pre-sieved my dry ingredients for the photos.
  • Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients after each batch, by making small circles in the middle of the bowl with your spoon to minimise lumps. It will take a while to incorporate well, please be patient.
  • Once the mixture is uniform, transfer it into the prepared baking tin and bake for about 55-57 minutes, until the toothpick comes out clean of cake crumbs.
  • Allow the cake to cool down completely after baking and before icing.
  • Break the chocolate up into small pieces and place in a large bowl.
  • Warm coconut milk in a small pot until it reaches an almost boiling point. Pour hot coconut milk over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, DO NOT STIR straight away. Now stir the chocolate gently until it's combined with coconut milk into a smooth and glossy chocolate ganache. Let it thicken just a little before applying to the cold cake - it will harden as it cools. Decorate with chocolate shavings before serving if you wish. HOT TIP: Cut the iced cake with a warm knife for a neater slice.