By Illanique van Aswegen, Crush Magazine.
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A fun take on a classic redvelvet cake using beetroot juice with a brûléed marshmallow-like frosting.
Ingredients
Beetroot Cake
4 large eggs
1½ cups(375 ml / 300 g) sugar
⅓ cups(80 ml) sunflower oil
2½ cups(625 ml / 375 g) self-raising flour
½ cup(125 ml) Rugani 100% Beetroot Juice
⅓ cup(80 ml) sour cream
1 tbsp (15 ml) cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla essence
Red gel food colouring
Ganache
½ cup(125 ml) cream
1 cup(250 ml / 165 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
Marshmallow Frosting
⅓ C (80 ml) water
⅔ C (160 ml / 150 g) caster sugar
3 large egg whites
½ tsp (2.5 ml) cream of tartar
To Serve
Dried beetroot powder
Method
Beetroot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C and line 2 x 18 cm cake tins.
- Combine the eggs, sugar and oil and mix with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour, beetroot juice, sour cream, cocoa and vanilla. The natural colour of the juice will give the cake a pink tinge. If you prefer a bolder colour then simply add a few drops of red gel food colouring.
- Divide the batter between the two tins and bake, 30-40 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Ganache
- Heat the cream over medium heat until warm. Pour it over the chocolate and stir until smooth and melted. Allow it to cool for 20-30 minutes until spreadable.
Marshmallow Frosting
- Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up to medium and simmer until it reaches 115 °C on a candy thermometer.
- Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar together with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Keep the motor running while drizzling in the warm sugar syrup in a slow steady stream. Whisk 4-5 minutes until stiff and glossy. The mixture should be cool.
- To assemble, sandwich the two cakes together with the spreadable ganache. Dollop the frosting on top and swirl it around with the back of a big spoon. Use a blowtorch to carefully brûlée the frosting until lightly toasted. Top it off with a sprinkling of dried beetroot powder.
