Chocolate beetroot cake / brownies

A gorgeously moist chocolate cake, no-one would guess it’s sugar free… Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute, you can use it exactly as you would normal sugar but it’s very low calorie, harmless to teeth and suitable for diabetics… best of all it tastes just like sugar but without the sugar rush! For an extra treat try this cake with a dollop of crème fraiche or softly whipped cream.  A word of warning – xylitol is very toxic to dogs so none of this for your dog!!

200g plain flour

50g Bourneville cocoa powder

1½tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

300g beetroot (you can cook it yourself or buy ready-cooked in vacuum packs)

3 large eggs

200g Xylitol sugar substitute (or sugar)

1 tsp vanilla extract

200ml rapeseed oil

• If you need to cook your beetroot, place in cold water, cover and bring to the boil, simmer for about 30-40 minutes until tender. Cool and then remove peel.
• Preheat oven to 160^oC (fan). Grease a 21cm (8”) round cake tin OR a brownie tin (approx. 9×13”)
• Sieve together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl
• Cut beetroot into quarters, place in food processor and process briefly, scrape down sides. Add eggs one at a time, with motor on again then add xylitol, oil and vanilla and process again.
• Add the mixture to the dry ingredients, folding in gently. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake 35-50 minutes (in a round cake tin it will be 45-50mins, brownie tin 35-40), until a sharp knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.