Choco-Beet Duet: chocolate beetroot loaf with greek yoghurt frosting

Richness and balance in every slice

Hey hey 👋🏻

I've been thinking to bake something with beetroot for some time now, choosing between Red Velvet with beets or something more for everyday. As you can see, the everyday option won, although I still tried to make it a bit special with these candied beet roses.

I bet you've never tried adding beets to your cake! Well, consider this is your sign to make this loaf and be surprised by how tender and soft it is! And no, there is no veggie aftertaste 😏 The yoghurt frosting nicely complements the chocolate flavour while aslo keeping it light and on a healthier side.

It was definitely a success and I want to explore more possibilities of incorporating beets into pastries and cakes 🙌🏻

For the Loaf:

makes 1 loaf of 11×24 cm, but a slightly smaller size will work too!

• 200 g cooked beets (blended)

• 145 g all-purpose flour

• 100 g dark chocolate (70%)

• 20 g cocoa powder (unsweetened)

• 60 g butter (82% fat)

• 15 g olive oil

• 100 brown sugar

• 40 g honey

• 2 medium eggs (room t°)

• 4 g baking powder

• 2 g baking soda

• 5 g vanilla extract

• 1g salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C. Grease and flour a loaf pan or line with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the blended beets, oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix well.

3. Chop dark chocolate into small pieces. Melt together with butter over the water bath. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Sift the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

6. Pour melted chocolate and stir until combined.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

8. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

9. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Greek Yoghurt Frosting:

• 80 g Greek yoghurt

• 120 g cream cheese (room t°)

• 15 g honey (adjust to taste)

• 15-30 g beetroot juice (for color)

Optional: A splash of vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese with honey, beet juice and vanilla if using .

2. Add Greek yoghurt to the mixture. Mix well.

Assembly: Apply frosting on a cooled loaf. Decorate as desired. I opted for candied beetroot roses. But edible flowers or nuts are also a great option!

I think these beet roses look lovely!

Storage: covered in the fridge for 3 days with frosting. Up to 5 without frosting. Remove from the fridge 5 minutes before serving to allow the cake to develop best flavor and texture.

Substitutions:

> Replace eggs with flax eggs: For each egg, mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.

> Choose a vegan sweetener: Use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey.

> Use plant-based yogurt: Instead of Greek yogurt, opt for a dairy-free yogurt alternative like almond or coconut yogurt.

> Vegan cream cheese: choose a dairy-free cream cheese alternative for the frosting.

So, are you brave to add beets to a cake? 🩷

Happy baking!

Shu