Baking · · General · Recipes
BySam
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I’ve always been intrigued by beetroot in cake recipes, the flavour is quite strong and in many ways I don’t think it suited to a dessert. I don’t like it used in red velvet cupcakesandprefer to use a food colouring which doesn’t interfere with the subtle chocolate flavour and yields a deep rich colour which I feel the cupcake must have. However with a chunky carrot cake like this, the earthy flavour of the beets work really well. The cake is not too sweet, so the caramel cream cheese frosting adds a luscious decadent dimension.
This recipe for carrot and beetroot cake comes from well known South African cookbook author Carolie de Koster. Carolie now lives in New Zealand where she continues to create all kinds of magic around food. I have been a fan of hers for years, so was delighted when she discovered my blog last year and we have been virtual friends ever since.
This recipe which was first published in Carolie’s book ‘Home Bakes’ in 2001 by Lannice Snyman Publishing. It’s one of my main baking reference books but sadly out of print. Carolie has very generously given me permission to use it here. I have created my own icing which I adapted from the maple cream cheese icing used on theapple cake I posted recently. These feather light frostings are my new absolute best way to finish off a cake.
I thought this fabulous cake with so much X-factor would be the perfect recipe to include in my series of recipes I’m producing for Sasko Flour.
*Cooks Notes – I have used a ready-made caramel in the frosting as it’s just as nice as anything you can make at home. I had some proper Argentinian dulce de lece which was perfect, but tinned caramel treat or any other ready made caramel will work perfectly. Caramel treat is condensed milk that has be boiled in the tin for 2 hours to form caramel and we are lucky enough to buy it very easily in South Africa. I grated the vegetables on the finest blades on my grater which took a little bit of effort, so if you have a husband, friend or child lurking around, get them to pick up that job.
carrot and beetroot cake with caramel cream cheese frosting
Print Recipe
Prep Time:40 minutes mins
Cook Time:50 minutes mins
Total Time:1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 3 free-range eggs
- 300 g 375ml sugar
- 175 ml sunflower oil
- 1 t 5ml vanilla extract
- 60 ml hot water
- 250 g 500ml Sasko Cake Flour
- 1 T 3t 15ml baking powder
- pinch of salt 1ml
- 1 t 5ml ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 200 g 500ml finely grated carrot
- 100 g 250ml finely grated beetroot
- 50 g 125ml coarsely chopped walnuts or pecan nuts (plus a handful of extra for decorating)
- icing
- 100 g butter
- 100 g Muscavado dark brown sugar
- 80 ml 1/3 of a cup dulce de leche, caramel treat, ready made caramel
- 240 g cream cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and grease or spray and 23cm ring cake pan.
Separate the eggs and put the egg yolks in a food processor or electric mixing bowl with the sugar, water, vanilla and oil. Mix until combined.
Sift the flour, baking powder and spices over the bowl and mix / process until smooth.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff.
By hand stir the beet, carrot and nuts through the mix, and gently fold through the egg whites.
Fill the cake pan and bake for 40 – 50 minutes until the cake has turned brown, is firm to the touch and when sharp knife comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin and make the frosting.
To make the frosting – beat the sugar, butter and caramel until pale and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and continue beating until the mixture is smooth and the sugar granules have worked out.
Spread a thick layer all over the cake and decorate with a few extra chopped nuts.
Disclaimer ~ This is a sponsored post and part of a series of recipesSaskohave asked me to develop using their flour.You can also check out all the fun and more recipes on theSasko Facebook page.
I look forward to connecting with you again in the future.
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