When used in a cake, beets add a delicious level of richness and flavour not found in your traditional sweet baking. Besides flavour the beets also add an amazing deep, dark natural colour to your cake. To cook your beets, you can wrap them in aluminum foil and bake until tender in the centre, or boil them, again just until knife tender.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 250 g / 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 350 g / 1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
• 55 g / ⅔ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 g / 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 g / 1/2 tsp Salt
• 170 g / ¾ cup Mirage Margarine
• 2 large Eggs
• 5 ml / 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup finely grated cooked beets (about 3-4 medium beets)
• 310 ml / 1 ¼ cups hot water

Frosting:

• 12 g /1/2 cup Mirage margarine
• 200 g / 1 cup Golden brown sugar
• 300 g / Dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa), chopped into small pieces
• 125 ml / 1/2 cup 35% Cream

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C).

2. Grease one 8” round, deep cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a large bowl mixing bowl and set aside.

4. In a separate bowl combine the Mirage margarine with the brown sugar, vanilla extract and cream with an electric mixer for 3 minutes on high. Add in the eggs and continue to cream for another 2 minutes.

5. Fold in the grated beets and warm water, just until combined. Add in the dry and continue to fold until you can no longer see dry flour.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, tapping the pan on the counter to remove any large air bubbles.

7. Bake the cake for about 35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean and the top bounces back when lightly pressed. Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes then turn it out onto a serving plate or cake stand, to cool completely.

8. For the frosting, melt the Mirage margarine in a medium saucepot, then whisk in the sugar and 35% cream. Continue to whisk this over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble.

9. Turn off the heat and add in the chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate sit for 2 minutes before beginning to whisk the mixture from the center, working to the outer edge.

10. Allow the mixture to cool completely until it is smooth and spreadable, but still holds it’s shape.

11. To decorate your completely cooled cake, gently lift the cake and remove the parchment from the bottom of the cake. Spread a thick, generous layer of frosting over the top of the cake. You may have extra frosting left, if this is the case you can store it covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, it makes a delicious treat warmed up served on top of ice cream.

12. The cake is ready to serve and will keep for up to2 days on the counter or 4 days, refrigerated.

Chef’s Notes

• If you are going to store it in the fridge, pull it out at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the cake to soften to room temperature.