dark chocolate & beetroot cake

It was my little sister's birthday recently and, since being diagnosed with cancer, she is trying to cut down on her wheat and sugar intake. she's also been increasing her superfood intake. So i thought i would attempt a couple of birthday cakes - the first being full of beetroot and adapted to include very little wheat or sugar. although there is some debate about spelt flour - i think it is an ancient form of wheat so much better for you than normal flour but not good for people allergic to wheat.

i was in a bit of a rush with this cake so it is very quick & easy. it is not super-sweet which i really like (i am a dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate person - how about you?) and it tastes great served with creme fraiche.

i have a terrible time getting cakes to rise so this one i poured  in to a very small (15cm) cake tin and hooray - a nice big fat cake - rather than a rather sad-looking thin one. 

Here's how i made it:

heat oven to 190C

grate 2 medium beetroots in to a bowl

add a pinch of salt and

200g spelt flour

100g cocoa powder

1 tbsp baking powder

2 eggs

3 tspn vanilla extract

100ml agave syrup

Mix well

pour in 200ml vegetable oil while mixing

add 100g dark chocolate broken in to small pieces and mix

Pour in to a greased cake tin and bake for 1 hour

little helper enjoying the batter

this cake followed a first course of artichokes - with mayonnaise for dipping

and a second course of salmon, potatoes, green beans, spicy lentils (stir-fry onion & red peppers with lots of turmeric and add puy lentils - yum!) and greek yoghurt

so our first course was accompanied by mayonnaise, second course accompanied by greek yoghurt and dessert accompanied by creme fraiche. i started feeling a little sick of white slimy sauces by the end of the meal and could feel my satisfied (or horrified?) arteries pumping away.