Nigel Slaters Extremely Moist Chocolate Beet Cake Recipes

THE VERY BEST, MOST DELICIOUS AND MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE YOU'LL EVER TASTE (WITH A SURPRISE INGREDIENT: BEETS)!

Steps:

• Prepare two, 8″ or 9″ baking pans (or one, 9×13″); butter and flour them well.
• Puree the beets in a food processor along with the eggs, vanilla, oil and the sugar.
• In a large bowl, place the dry ingredients, then add the pureed mixture.
• Beat with an electric or stand mixer on low speed until well combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done a a tester (or skewer) comes out clean.
• Remove from pans after a few minutes and allow to cool completely on racks.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream frosting by beating the butter until soft, then adding the sugar, cocoa, 1/4 cup (2 oz) coffee and salt, and mixing until creamy and smooth. Continue to add more coffee until a soft, spreadable, or pipable consistency is reached.
• Cut the tops off the cake to make them level, you can see photos on this post. Place one layer of the moist chocolate cake on a serving plate and spread some buttercream on top.
• Place the second layer on top and decorate as desired with the frosting and other decorations, if desired (I put some almond crunch pieces on the sides.)

MOIST CHOCOLATE-BEET CAKE

Steps:

• Butter an 8 or 8 1/2 inch (20 cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Boil the beets in salted water with the lid askew until they're very tender when you stick a knife in them about 45 minutes. Drain then rinse the beets with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slip off the peels, cut the beets into chunks, and grind them in a food processor until you get a coarse, yet cohesive, puree. (If you don't have a food processor, use a cheese grater.)
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
• In a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring as little as possible. Once it's nearly all melted, turn off the heat (but leave the bowl over the warm water), pour in the hot espresso and stir it once. Then add the butter. Press the butter pieces into the chocolate and allow them to soften without stirring.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
• Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and stir until the butter is melted. Let sit for a few minutes to cool, then stir the egg yolks together and briskly stir them into the melted chocolate mixture. Fold in the beets.
• In a stand mixer, or by hand, whip the egg whites until stiff. Gradually fold the sugar into the whipped egg whites with a spatula, then fold them into the melted chocolate mixture, being careful not to overmix.
• Fold in the flour and cocoa powder.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and reduce the heat of the oven to 325ºF (160ºC), and bake the cake for 40 minutes, or until the sides are just set but the center is still is just a bit wobbly. Do not overbake.
• Let cake cool completely, then remove it from the pan.

NIGEL SLATER'S VERY GOOD CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180° C or 160° C in a fan oven.
• Line a 23cm square baking tin with baking paper.
• Put the sugar and butter into the bowl of a mixer and beat for a few minutes until white and fluffy.
• Meanwhile break the chocolate into pieces. Set 50g of it aside and melt the rest in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
• Remove the chocolate from the heat.
• Chop the rest into small pieces.
• Lightly beat the eggs and extra yolk in a bowl.
• Separately sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder with a bit of salt.
• With the machine running slowly, add in the eggs a bit at a time.
• Take the bowl from the mixer and add in the chocolate.
• Lastly fold in the flour and cocoa powder mixture, gently but firmly, trying not to knock any air out.
• Put the mixture in the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• It will rise slightly and be a bit softer in the middle.
• A toothpick in the centre should come out a bit stick but not with raw batter on it.
• If not, bake until the batter is set.
• The brownies will solidify a bit on cooling so if they appear squishy be patient -- hard I know, but it's worth it!

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE

Steps:

• Cover beets with 2 inches water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until very tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife, about 30 minutes. Drain. Puree beets in a food processor until smooth.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, water, oil, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cups beet puree (reserve remaining puree for another use).
• Coat a 9-inch round cake pan (3 inches deep) with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment, and coat with spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn out cake from pan, and discard parchment. Let cool completely, right side up.
• Trim top of cake using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Transfer cake, cut side down, to a platter. Pour chocolate glaze over the top, and let set, about 30 minutes. Garnish with beet chips.