Home from school and Mummy’s chocolate cake
Home time is lovely isn’t it? No matter how much you like school, it’s great to get home. And if there’s a bit of time to linger, chat with pals, search for conkers, be outdoors…well that’s all the better. Our household is settled into the new school year – routines now familiar, friendships established. And [...]
Home time is lovely isn’t it? No matter how much you like school, it’s great to get home. And if there’s a bit of time to linger, chat with pals, search for conkers, be outdoors…well that’s all the better. Our household is settled into the new school year – routines now familiar, friendships established. And homework. Good thing there is sometimes a chocolate cake made by Mummy!
At seven years old, what’s better than having a friend around to play and some yummy chocolate cake? But how about some beetroot? I’m sure lots of children love it but my little boy isn’t one of them. My challenge is constantly getting more vegetables into him, so a secret beetroot ingredient is brilliant. I’ve read about chocolate beetroot cakes decided to give it a try. I looked at a few recipes, including a lovely one on Scandilicious. However I cannot help but tweak a new version of my own. I added a few big spoons of velvety mascarpone cheese to the mix to lend a lighter, smoother texture. And I made it very chocolatey. The beetroot is miraculous – it gives the cake a gorgeous fudgey crumb and delicate sweetness. I love it.
Beetroots are so beautiful with their amazing colour and pleasing shape. Lots of fun to photograph. Deep pink stains everywhere.
So on to the homework. No, that’s not homework…he’s actually drawing trains!
I hope you like the cake and a visit to a little part of our day. If you have time, drop me a comment. Always so delighted to hear from you. P.
Charlie: 28th September 2010
Oh, this is so evocative Pascale. Really touching and such beautiful images. I love the light cast on all the pictures – it just adds to the happy atmosphere. And let’s all root for beetroot! Love Charlie
pascale: 28th September 2010
Thank you Charlie. Yesterday I felt like a voice in the wilderness after I published this post, until I saw this lovely message.
Margaret: 28th September 2010
I love beetroot and I love dark chocolate so this recipe is very appealing and not complicated. The result looks mouthwatering and the seasonal photos are beautiful.
Jeanne @ CookSister!: 28th September 2010
Oh what a GORGEOUS post! The atmosphere of the photos, the painterly light – it’s all too beautiful! And that cake looks oh-so-moist… Just beautiful.
pascale: 28th September 2010
Hi Jeanne, thanks for visiting and the lovely comment. I enjoyed putting this post together with my little subjects/models!
Natalie: 28th September 2010
That cake looks too yummy for words. I know beetroot is supposed to be very good in chocolate cake, but I have never tried to make it. This is all the inspiration I need to give it a go.
Absolutely beautify photos.
Choclette: 28th September 2010
What a wonderful treat to come home to. Have made very successful chocolate beetroot cakes, but have never yet made a cake using mascapone – yummmmmmm.
Kocinera: 28th September 2010
That cake looks so yummy! I love that you get to sneak in some veggies, too. Chocolate cake would be a fabulous after-school treat!
Anne's Kitchen: 28th September 2010
Oh Pascale, your photography just blows me away over and over again! How beautiful is this photo series! It gives a real autumnal feel – and autumn is my favourite season! I really like how you present your recipe sheets these days – very elegant with the black background and photo on the side. Maybe you can make a PDF version for downloading – so people can print it straight out like that..?
xx
pascale: 28th September 2010
Thanks Anne, yes that was my idea with the recipe, so it can be printed like a recipe card. I just need to work out the technicals…you know me! Thanks for visiting and commenting. Pxxx
dc: 28th September 2010
Wow, the cake looks fantastic and the photographs are just wonderful. I had never heard of beetroot in chaocolate cake before. What a great idea.
pascale: 28th September 2010
Thanks Mr C. x
Clairetweet: 28th September 2010
Such a lovely post Pascale. I might try that cake with my last few beetroots. Ah, so the boy has a girlfriend?!
pascale: 28th September 2010
Yes he does! At seven! A bit early isn’t it? Very funny though.
KG: 28th September 2010
Hi Pascale
This makes even a non-cooking Mum like me want to bake. I will give it a go and let you know how I get on….
pascale: 28th September 2010
Thanks Kate, and thanks for visiting my blog!
catty: 28th September 2010
How adorable is your son in his little shirt and tie? Too cute!! Your chocolate cake sounds divine too – I know some people use beetroot in red velvet cakes (which really are just chocolate cakes too) and it does add a nice moistness. I wish my mum greeted us with chocolate cake!
pascale: 28th September 2010
Hey Catty, I know, I love his little shirt and tie! I’ll pass on your compliment, he’ll be delighted.
Tracey: 28th September 2010
This looks lovely and moist! I once made a similar chocolate cake also with beetroot and was amazed at how moist the cake was and that you couldn´t really taste the beetroot(not a big fan of it really)!
pascale: 28th September 2010
Thanks Tracey. Yes, it’s surprising how well the beetroot works isn’t it.
Ian: 28th September 2010
Hi – this looked so wonderful I made it last night. I must have done something wrong as mine was dry and bitter. I had to bake it for considerably longer than the 45-50 minutes to get the middle to set so maybe that explains my lack of success. Love the photos and the story though, and your granola bars are fantastic!
pascale: 28th September 2010
Hi Ian, thanks so much for visiting my site and trying the recipe. I’m sorry to hear this cake didn’t work out for you. I did measure and time things very carefully, I promise. Now I used the cooked beetroot from the supermarket and it’s very tender and sweet. But I know beetroots can be bitter sometimes. Hmmm. Anyway, hope you’ll visit again soon! P
sophs: 28th September 2010
Wow. I’m so gonna try this cake out on Andge, at the weekend, will be perfect for snacks and breaks while building our new flat pack furniture! (or maybe Aims will do it for my birthday!). Great photos as per, Louis looks so sweet, such a big boy now! Will let you know how it works out for me.
Love
Sophisophs.
Robert A. Strobel: 28th September 2010
Mmm yum I can’t wait to try this recipe!
pascale: 28th September 2010
Thanks Robert!
Dawn: 28th September 2010
I just got a new food scale so I am excited to try this recipe using my new toy. Away with standard measurement and in with metric.
pascale: 28th September 2010
Hey Dawn, yes I think metric is easier once you get in the swing of it! Have fun baking.
Ivana: 28th September 2010
This is just beautiful – and two of my fave ingredients: chocolate and beets! Yay!!!
Just one question, is the recipe available in measurements, besides weighted? I don’t have a kitchen scale (I know, I know; Amateur!) and yet would love to make this!
Thank you!
pascale: 28th September 2010
Hi Ivana, thanks so much for visiting. I will do a conversion for you and email it to you. P x
Michele: 28th September 2010
This looks absolutely yummy, but I don’t have a kitchen scale. Is it posted somewhere in dry and liquid measurements?
pascale: 28th September 2010
Hi Michele,
I will have to get round to posting a recipe conversion as you are now the second person who has asked! Thank you so much for visiting. P
Susie: 28th September 2010
Pascale, I did make the cake as both a friend and I drooled over the beets and chocolate. A couple of things must have gone wrong though. First the temp for baking is listed as 180 degrees F, when I’m sure you must have meant Centrigrade, right? After trying to make it work with 180F, I baked it again at 350 F and it cooked finally. Second, it is quite bitter. Did you mean to specify sweet dark chocolate? Bakers chocolate is tooooooo bitter, even for a nonsweet cake. Can you advise about the ingredients and temp? I’d love to try again….
pascale: 28th September 2010
Susie, thanks for getting in touch. Yes, in England dark chocolate is sweet, I think called bittersweet over the Atlantic. The temp is centigrade and I will fix that C. Thank you so much for telling me! Px
Urvashi@BotanicalBaker: 28th September 2010
Gorgeous imagery x
Mark D: 28th September 2010
Beautiful photography, as ever. And a reminder that I havent eaten any cake today..off to make this one, thank you
Christine: 28th September 2010
What a lovely post and photos, Pascale. The cake obviously looks delicious and I might now even be tempted to eat some beets. Thanks for sharing!