Beetroot & chocolate cupcakes

The earthy taste of beetroot is an ideal match for bitter sweet dark chocolate in these delectable cupcakes.This recipe makes deliciously moist, moreish cupcakes. Adding beetroot, like most vegetables, makes them last ages without drying out and these ones lasted for four days and still never got crumbly. The beetroot can’t be tasted but adds a nice richness to the chocolate. I generally iced these ones with chocolate but they taste great without.

INGREDIENTS

• oil spray

• 3 (about 375g) beetroot bulbs, peeled

• 265g (1 3/4 cups) self-raising flour

• 30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

• 200g (1 cup, firmly packed) dark brown sugar

• 3 eggs, at room temperature

• 180g butter, melted

• 150g dark chocolate, melted, cooled

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Betty Crocker Creamy Deluxe Rich Chocolate Fudge Frosting, to decorate

METHOD

• Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray fifteen 80ml (1/3-cup) capacity muffin pans with oil. Finely grate the beetroot into a bowl.

• Step 2

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and mixed spice into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Stir in the beetroot, eggs and butter. Add chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir until just combined. Spoon among the prepared pans. Smooth the surfaces. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

• Step 3

Spread the icing over the muffins.

#baking #chocolate