CHOCOLATE, BEETROOT AND PORTER CAKE

I love chocolate, I love Stout and I love beetroot! 

I always wanted to combine these three wonderful ingredients into something even better than just their singular parts and I am pleased to say I think I have succeeded with this cake.

Sometimes I make this with Stout and sometimes with Porter which is a very close relative to Stout ? the difference being that Porter can sometimes have a sweeter malt profile to Stout.

There are plenty of great examples of both styles coming out of the myriad Craft Breweries opening up all over the country so check them out.

I normally use the Mornington Peninsula Breweries Porter but as they didn’t have any I used Little Creatures Return of the Dread Stout.

INGREDIENTS

300g beetroot cubes – 1 large or two medium beetroots ? top and tailed peeled then cut into

small cubes

? cup of freshly squeezed orange juice

230g of self raising flour

50g cocoa powder

200g brown sugar

Zest of one lemon

60g of milk chocolate

60g of 70% dark chocolate

100g unsalted butter

3 free range eggs – beaten

150 mils of Porter or Stout –  warmed in the micro wave oven but not boiled!

METHOD

Pre heat oven to 160? C.

Butter then line a spring form cake tin with baking paper ? bottom and sides.

Put beetroot in a small saucepan with lid over medium heat add orange juice and bring to a simmer then turn the heat down and gently simmer with lid on until just tender.

Remove beetroot and place in a food processor – discard the cooking liquor – and blitz until a paste, then add half the stout (75mils) and blend some more until nicely pureed then set aside.

Sift flour, cocoa and sugar into a large bowl add the lemon zest and set aside.

Put two cups of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil on the stove then turn down to a simmer. 

Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put in a bowl then sit this bowl over the saucepan with the simmering water.

Allow the chocolate to melt giving it a stir to combine. 

Add the chopped butter to the chocolate and allow it to melt and then stir to combine. 

Remove the bowl from the sauce pan and allow the mix to cool a little then add in the three 

beaten eggs and then the rest of the warm stout and the beetroot puree, give everything a 

good stir so it is all well combined.

Pour the chocolate beetroot mix into the bowl with the dry ingredients and give it a good stir

so there are no dry lumps then pour in to your prepared cake tin and pop that in to the oven.

Cook for about 40 mins.

Check cake is done by inserting a wooden skewer in to the cake ? it should come out pretty clean or with some little crumbs on it.

If it comes out with wet cake mix, cook a little longer.

Allow cake to cool before turning out.

Serve with cream or ice cream.

Serves 10.

Chocolate Stout Icing

80 grams unsalted butter ? melted

40g milk chocolate ? finely chopped

40g of dark chocolate 70% – finely chopped

Put everything in a saucepan over gentle heat and stir while it all melts then mix well together.

Allow to cool before putting it on your cake.

You can view Paul Mercurio’s other delicious recipes by visiting www.brewsnews.com.au