Sweet Beetroot Cake

Beetroot cake is an unusual sweet that surprises with its vibrant color and delicate flavor. The presence of beetroot adds moisture to the cake, making it incredibly soft. Here is a version that pairs the earthy flavor of beetroots with some sweet and spicy notes typical of Italian tradition.

Ingredients

• 250 g cooked and blended beetroots
• 200 g granulated sugar
• 100 ml seed oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 250 g 00 flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 50 g chopped walnuts (optional)
• Powdered sugar for decoration (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease and flour a 23 cm round cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine the blended beetroots, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix well until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
3. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
4. Incorporate the dry ingredients into the beetroot mixture little by little, mixing with a spatula or wooden spoon until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
5. If desired, add the chopped walnuts to the batter and mix until evenly distributed.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level it with the back of a spoon.
7. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to complete cooling.
9. Once cooled, if desired, dust the surface with powdered sugar.

Curiosities

Beetroot cake is an excellent base for experiments: some modern pastry chefs garnish it with chocolate ganache or flavored buttercream, to create an even more marked contrast of flavors. Furthermore, in Italian culinary tradition, the use of vegetables in sweet cakes is not as frequent as in other cultures, but this cake represents a pleasant meeting point between tastes and different traditions.