Beetroot and Chocolate Cake

Free

Difficulty: Medium
Time: 40 min (plus resting and baking time about 5h)
Quantity: 10-12 people, 18 cm diameter round ring
Type: Layer Cakes
Dietary requirements: Vegan

Ingredients

IMPASTO SPONGE CAKE

120 g white plant-based yogurt

125 g seed oil

200 g plant-based milk

10 g vinegar

3 g salt

165 g granulated sugar

65 g beetroot powder

60 g almond flour

170 g all-purpose flour

70 g potato starch

9 g baking

4 g baking soda

5 g water-soluble red gel food coloring

GANACHE CHOCOLATE

400 g vegetable whipping cream

81 g glucose syrup 40-45DE

190 g dark chocolate 50%

108 g block margarine

Milk for soaking as needed

beetroot powder for decoration

Beetroot and chocolate cake: a soft and surprising sponge cake in which I chose to use beetroot powder both in the batter and for decoration. In the batter it is perfect because it makes the recipe easier to balance and manage compared to fresh beetroot, and it is also easy to find online. I decided to use the same ingredient on the surface as well, so that it is found from the batter to the decoration and recalls the same flavor externally. Since beetroot tends to lose part of its bright color during baking, I also added a touch of water-soluble red gel food coloring to obtain a sponge with vivid red even after baking, reminiscent of a sort of Red Velvet in beetroot version. The layers are filled with a creamy and silky dark chocolate ganache and assembled in a naked cake style, leaving the levels visible. The decoration is simple, with a spatulated effect and a final dusting of beetroot powder that intensifies color and flavor and makes the cake even more lively and fun. If you have never tried beetroot in desserts I recommend it: it pairs perfectly with chocolate. It is a simple cake to make, perfect for Valentine's Day but ideal all year round.

Method

Start by preparing the ganache which will need to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours. In a jug weigh the chocolate chopped into large pieces. In another jug or in a small saucepan, weigh the vegetable whipping cream with the glucose syrup and bring to a boil or heat gently on the stove or in the microwave. When the cream boils pour it over the chocolate, leave it for a couple of minutes so the chocolate begins to melt.

Then start blending with an immersion blender to combine the chocolate with the cream and glucose and create an emulsion, thus obtaining a glossy ganache. Then add the cold margarine cut into cubes and continue blending. When the ganache is glossy, homogeneous and there are no large pieces of chocolate or margarine, cover with cling film directly on the surface and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

Move on to preparing the beetroot sponge cake. First of all preheat the oven in static mode to 170 °C. Then, in a bowl pour the plant-based yogurt, plant-based milk, seed oil, vinegar and mix with a whisk. Then add the sugar and salt and continue mixing. Then add the beetroot powder and mix well with the whisk to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Also add the red coloring and mix to distribute it evenly.

At this point, add the sifted dry ingredients, namely all-purpose flour, potato starch, almond flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well with the whisk for a couple of minutes until you obtain a homogeneous and lump-free batter.

Line the mold with parchment paper on the bottom and sides; to make the parchment stick well you can spray a little plant-based butter spray or brush a little margarine. If, as in my case, you use a ring without a bottom, close the bottom with a sheet of aluminum foil and place the ring on a baking tray. Pour the batter into the mold and bake in a static oven at 170 °C for about 55 minutes.

Check the cooking with a skewer, insert a skewer into the center of the cake; when it comes out dry the cake is ready. Do not open the oven before 35-40 minutes. When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven, let it cool at room temperature for one hour, then invert it, remove the ring, foil and parchment paper. Wrap the cake in cling film and let rest in the fridge at least 1-2 hours or overnight.

Cut the cake only when it is completely cold from the refrigerator; never cut a cake when it is hot. With a long serrated knife, cut the cake into three equal layers. If the cake has formed a dome on the surface, level and remove it. Take the chocolate ganache, soften it with a spatula and transfer it into a piping bag. Cut the tip of the bag, make a small dollop in the center of a plate and place the first sponge layer. With a brush, soak the sponge with a little plant-based milk.

Fill by piping a spiral using about 240 g of ganache. Place the second sponge layer, soak with a little milk and fill with another 240 g of ganache.

Place the third beetroot sponge cake layer and fill with the last 240 g of ganache and use a spoon to create a spatulated-wavy effect.

With a small sieve, dust a little beetroot powder on the surface and the cake is ready to be served.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Tips

You can also soak the sponge with a simple sugar syrup 1:1 flavored with vanilla. Glucose is not used to sweeten, but it is a technical sugar that makes the ganache smoother, creamier and more elastic; I do not recommend omitting it. It can be purchased easily in professional pastry shops or online. The coloring used is a water-soluble gel colorant from Modecor. It is recommended to read these articles: - calculate quantities based on the mold - which ingredients to use - where to buy pastry ingredients and products