Desserts

Looking for a healthy food take on chocolate cake? This light chocolate cake is gorgeous and moist as is, with no need for sugary ganache or icing.
Chocolate cake can be deadly for your kilojoule count, since it’s packed with sugar, refined flour and oil. But you can easily substitute for a higher fibre flour, like oat or chickpea flour, that doesn’t compromise on texture and flavour. Also, try substituting sugar for honey or another sugar-free alternative for a sweet, decadent treat that won’t break the kilojoule bank.
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What You Need

250g cooked beetroot
200g butter
200g 70% dark chocolate
4 tbsp hot espresso
135g wholewheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp cocoa
5 free-range eggs, separated
150g castor sugar or sugar replacement

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Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Grease a 20cm nonstick cake tin with a little Spray and Cook and line the bottom of the tin with baking paper.
Purée the beetroot in a food processor.
Heat the butter and chocolate in a microwave for 10 seconds at a time, or until just melted, then pour in the hot coffee and leave to cool slightly.
Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa in a bowl and set aside.
Separate the eggs, then whisk the yolks in a bowl until frothy.
Stir the eggs into the chocolate and butter mixture and fold in the beetroot.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold in the sugar.
Fold the sugar and egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and cocoa mixture.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

SERVES 8. Per 158g serving: 2 215kJ, 34g fat (20g sat), 48g carbs, 140mg sodium, 4g fibre, 9g protein
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