A single-layer chocolate beetroot allspice cake topped with cream cheese frosting. No electric mixer is required! Just two bowls and a whisk!
I adapted my best chocolate cake recipe to make this allspice beetroot chocolate cake. This cake can be part of the holiday baking for a small family.
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allspice cake with beetroot and chocolate
Flavour-wise you don't taste beetroot in the cake but because it is sweet, it works well in cakes just like carrots. I wanted to add spice flavour so googled what goes well with beetroot and decided to use allspice.
You can use any spice that goes well with beet or chocolate like nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, etc. For the frosting, I made cream cheese that will let the spice flavour shine through.
Ingredients
- beetroot: we need around ¼ cup beet puree. I have included in the recipe how to make the puree.
- all-purpose flour
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- baking powder
- allspice: you may use any other spice like cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom.
- salt
- large egg
- cooking oil
- vanilla essence
- buttermilk
- hot water
How to make it?
Preheat the oven to 170C on fan mode with the rack in the centre. Add all the dry items to a large bowl. Whisk well to mix and break any large lumps of cocoa powder. I didn't take the extra step to sieve the powders because the hot water that we will add in the end will help in dissolving the lumps if any.
In another bowl, whisk the wet items well until no traces of egg strands. The hot water is added after you start to whisk the wet to dry. Initially, you will feel that the batter is too thick or not enough liquid but as you add the hot water, it will all come together and be easy to pour.
Pour the batter into the lined cake pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. I highly recommend making the cream cheese frosting recipe for this cake as it is my favourite topping for a beetroot chocolate spiced cake.
Substitutions
- beetroot: We need around ¼ cup beet puree. You can use canned beet and skip the boiling step.
- allspice: You may use any other spice like cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom.
- cooking oil: I tend to use sunflower oil as they are nuetral without any flavour. You can use any similar neutral oil that you already have.
- buttermilk: I always use full-fat laban that we get easily here in UAE. You may use a diluted version of full-fat yoghurt.
Equipment
If you don't have an 8-inch round pan, you can bake this recipe in a 9-inch round, 7-inch bundt, 8-inch square or 8x5 inch loaf.
Storage
This chocolate beetroot allspice cake with cream cheese frosting can be refrigerated for 1-2 days at most.
More recipes using allspice
FAQ
If you notice your cake is forming cracks on the top, that means your oven is too hot or the cake was placed too high in the oven. The crack is caused because the crust is formed much earlier due to the hot oven while the cake continues to rise.
This does not alter the taste, but if it happens in the first 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature or move the cake to the lower rack and continue to bake. At least you will save it from having more cracks which you can always hide with toppings, frosting or icing! 😉
Before knowing how long you can store the cake, you must know how to store the cake. The unfrosted cake in the fridge will last for 3-4 days if stored properly. This means, as soon as the cake cools completely, and you don't intend to frost them immediately, then it is better if you cling-wrap it completely and refrigerate it in a bag.
If the cake is left open for too long especially when you leave it to cool, it will lose moisture and become too dry. You may fix this by drizzling some sugar syrup just before frosting. The cake with cream cheese frosting can be refrigerated for 1-2 days at most.
You may freeze the frosted cake for up to 3 months but ensure it is wrapped properly and stored in airtight boxes or bags.
📖 Recipe Card
Chocolate Beetroot Spiced Cake
Ingredients
For the Beet Puree
- 1 beetroot, small-sized
- water, to boil
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon allspice powder
- a pinch of salt
Wet items
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- ¼ cup laban (buttermilk)
- ¼ cup beet puree
- ¼ cup hot water
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 50 grams cream cheese, (3 cubes), room temperature
- 14 grams butter , (1 tbsp), softened
- ⅔ cup icing sugar , (powdered sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
Prepare the beet puree
- Trim the roots and wash the beetroot off any dirt.1 beetroot
- Add to a pot of water and let it boil until you can pass a knife through it easily.water
- Remove the beetroot and discard the water.
- Peel the skin with a peeler and grate it using the tiny hole side (you will need ¼ cup)
Prepare the batter and bake the cake
- Preheat the oven to 170℃.
- Line an 8-inch round cake pan with baking paper.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl.1 cup all-purpose flour¾ cup sugar¼ cup cocoa powder1 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon allspice powdera pinch of salt
- Whisk the wet ingredients (not the hot water) in another medium bowl.1 large egg2 tablespoons cooking oil½ teaspoon vanilla essence¼ cup laban (buttermilk)¼ cup beet puree
- Add the wet mixture to the dry and whisk while gradually adding the hot water. Whisk until everything is incorporated.¼ cup hot water
- Pour the batter into the lined cake pan and tap the pan to level the batter.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Use a hand whisk to whisk together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla essence.50 grams cream cheese14 grams butter¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
- Add the powdered sugar and continue to whisk until everything is incorporated without any visible lumps.⅔ cup icing sugar
- Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before using.
Frost the cake
- Use a bread knife to level the cake top (I removed the dome shape and used it to make cake pops that I placed back on top of the frosted cake)
- If you have any sugar syrup in hand, then drizzle it over the cake. This is optional but will help keep the cake moist for longer if you plan to store it.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cake.
- Serve and refrigerate any leftover frosted cake covered completely to prevent it from drying out.
Famidha Ashraf says
I made this a few months ago with finely grated fresh beet, I noticed it had an earthy flavour pronounced. So, I still recommend the boiling step or use canned beet.