The secret ingredient is in the title! The flavour is rich. The look is hot! The result is delicious.

Makes 10-12

Ingredients

1 large beetroot (approx 250g), unpeeled, grated*
270g (2 cups) self raising flour
90g (3/4 cup) dark cocoa
2 tspn ground cinnamon
300g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
500g (2 cups) caster sugar
2 tspn vanilla extract
5 large eggs
150mls milk

Chocolate icing

250g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
185g (1 cup) icing sugar
60g (1/4 cup) dark cocoa
2 tspn milk 

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C (170C for fan forced oven). Grease and line the base and sides of a 28cm spring form pan with baking paper.

Sift the flour, cocoa and cinnamon together.

Attach the flat beater and pouring shield to the mixing bowl. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla on speed 2 for 1 minute, increase to speed 6 and cream 5 minutes or until light and fluffy, regularly scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly in between each egg.

Decrease speed to 1 and add the flour cocoa and beetroot mixture alternatively with the milk. When mixture has combined increase speed to 8 and beat 30 seconds.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake 30 minutes only, then cover pan completely with a large sheet of greased foil and secure on all sides. Bake a further 25 - 30 minutes or until cake is firm to touch. Remove foil and stand cake 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely before icing.

Icing notes
Attach the flat beater and pouring shield to the mixing bowl. Beat the butter on speed 4 until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat for 2 minutes, wiping down the sides regularly with a spatula.

Tips

Tip 1: To grate the beetroot with the KitchenAid Food Grinder - Cut the beetroot into long thick batons. Attach the coarse grinding plate to the food grinder. Turn mixer to speed 4 and grate beetroot into the mixing bowl.

Tip 2:The cake is cooked uncovered for  the cooking time, then covered for the remainder. This helps the cake to steamthrough cooking it to perfection right through to the centre. The result is a moist rich texture.

Tip 3:The darker the cocoa used  the more chocolate flavour the cake will have. Dutch cocoa may also be used.