Chocolate Cake – Susie’s Surprise Beetroot Delight

Serves 8

2 cups Castor Sugar

1 ½ cups oil (Grapeseed is good)

4 eggs – well beaten

2 cups cooked SKINNED mashed beetroot – nothing added – DO NOT USE TINNED

2 ½ cups plain flour – triple sifted

2 ½ teaspoons bi carb soda – sifted with flour

½ cup of good quality cocoa powder

2 teaspoons pure vanilla essence

Preheat oven to Moderate

Grease and line with greaseproof paper a 22cm (9 inch) round or square pan.

With an electric hand held mixer, beat together, the eggs, oil and the sugar.

Turn mixer to slow and alternatively added a little flour mixture and then the beetroot, until all combined.  Put mixer on high and beat for around 1-2 minutes.

Decant mix into middle of cake tin and spread evenly to the sides.

Place in the middle of your pre-heated oven for around 45 minutes or until cooked.  Use a clean metal skewer to test cake after 45 minutes.

When cake is cooked, take out and let stand 20 minutes before turning it our onto a wire rack to cool completely.

When cooled, top with a Cream Cheese Frosting of your choice with added fresh strawberries and silver almonds for further decoration.

Note:  This is great as a dessert, served with Ice Cream

Susie has a monthly afternoon gathering at her place which is a book review club, and this has been a great favourite of everyone there.  She serves on a lovely cake platter, which matches her tea set. It is lovely blue and white ware - it has flair - but then Susie does to!  Susie only uses loose leaf tea and also has filter coffee available.

For this cake to serve 16, please double the ingredients, and cook in a larger cake tin, Susie recommends a 12 inch (30cm) pan