Vegan Beetroot Chocolate Cake with Beetroot Dust and Beetroot 'Buttercream' Icing

I've combined chocolate and beetroot in sweet dishes including cakes plenty of times - beetroot brownies; beetroot waffles; and beetroot swirl muffins , but I was most surprised to note that I had not posted a larger version of a cake, especially as I must have made this particular Beetroot Chocolate Cake at least four times last year.  

So I thought well, why not make it again ...and so I have. 

Ive mentioned before, I am not the neatest of cake decorators, but even I was quite chuffed with the way this cake turned out.  Its got the homely touch as well as the shocker rocker of the vivid pink.

The Beetroot 'Buttercream' came easy, I was going to add a smidgen of red food colouring as I did for my Vegan Red Velvet Strawberry Cake with Strawberry 'Cream Cheese' Frosting, but as I had collected some beetroot juice from the grated beetroot used for my Beetroot, Red Onion and Puy Lentils Bourguignon, that is what I stirred tentatively into the vegan butter and icing mix and it worked fine.  

Now your next question is about the Beetroot Dust.  The first time I cam across it was when I was in Plymouth - we were there to board my ferry to Brittany (weep that was my last official holiday), as we were early we wandered the streets of Plymouth and i stumbled upon an independent health food shop selling the stuff for a couple of pounds.  I did pick up a bag but that was almost four years ago.  

You can of course buy beetroot powder on-line, some are reasonably prices, but I MADE MY VERY OWN.  Its quite simple really, helps if you have a food dehydrator, I don't so it was made in the oven.  You may want to wear gloves for this if you do not wish to get your hands stained.  Simply peel a fresh beetroot, using a mandolin - thinly slice the beetroot.  Then dry each slice thoroughly.  Spread out the beetroot on a non-stick baking sheet and bake in the a preheated oven gas mark 5/190c for about 15 - 25 minutes or until they become dry and curl up.  Do not allow the beetroot to colour.  When it has curled and dried up.  Feel free to turn off the oven and leave it there to cool down (recommended).  When it is completely cold.  Put it in a small food processor; or a coffee grinder and blitz to a powder.  Decant into a glass jar and seal.  The beetroot powder does not impart much flavour, just earthy red colour, so its good as sprinkled over the cake like fairy dust!

Runner Up 2013 Great Vegan Bake Off!

As always, the cake was too big for just myself and the man in my life to enjoy, so I drove 3/4 of the cake over to my parents, where the nippers tucked in and were delighted and amazed to learn of the beetroot content, saying that they could hardly taste it, let alone see it.  Whereas, my younger brothers attitude was very different.  He was enjoying mouthful after mouthful, but when he got wind of the inclusion of beetroot, he snugged his nose and passed it over to my mother, some people eh - in this case my not so baby brother, will just never like the idea of vegetables whether it be as a side dish or in a cake.  I'm not here to convert by the way, just to share.  Whether you like it or not, that's up to you - after all we all have very different tastes.  

I sharing a big fat slice of this cake with Vegan Bake Off competition. 
UP-DATE This cake was Runner Up 2013 Great Vegan Bake Off

Vegan Beetroot Chocolate Cake with Beetroot Dust and Beetroot 'Buttercream' Icing
You will need 2 x 8 inch round spring form cake tins for this cake
Serves 12
425g plain flour
75g cocoa powder
11/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
180g golden caster sugar
400ml soy milk
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
200ml vegetable oil
2 medium beetroots, peeled and grated
Method
Sieve the dry ingredients first over a large bowl, then stir in the sugar. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients, then carefully pour into the dry ingredients and combine well. Then quickly stir in the grated beetroot and pour evenly into 2 baking tins. 
Bake at gas mark 4/180oC for 35 - 45 minutes of until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.  
Best decorated the following day.
For the Beetroot 'Buttercream' Icing
115g vegan margarine
170g icing sugar, sifted
1 - 2 tablespoon beetroot juice OR omit this and use red food colouring and use according to instructions.
Method
Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy and the colouring from the beetroot juice is well combined to achieve the colour you require.
Transfer to a bowl and put in the fridge to firm up.  When firm, spread over the cake as required.
For the Beetroot Dust - see content of blog post.