Vegan chocolate beetroot cake that is moist, fudgy, and irresistible! This cake is rich and indulgent, yet less sweet than a regular chocolate cake.
Simple ingredients you’ll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Notes about the ingredients
Fresh beetroot. For minimal beetroot flavor, I suggest boiling the chopped beetroot in water for the cake. This is also the easiest method. Alternatively, you can steam or bake the beetroot until tender.
Dutch-process cocoa powder for a more intense dark chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa powder will work in this recipe, but the cake will be lighter in color and less deep in flavor.
Granulated sugar gives the cake a soft and tender crumb. For a deeper flavor, you can use brown sugar. For a less sweet cake, coconut sugar will also work.
Dairy-free chocolate. We’re using a small amount of melted chocolate in the cake for extra depth of flavor and to make the cake slightly fudgy. If you’re in a pinch, the cake will work without the dairy-free chocolate.
Dairy-free milk. I prefer using unsweetened soy milk as it adds body to the cake. However, any drinkable variety of milk will work.
I carefully developed this chocolate cake recipe so you don’t miss out on the eggs or need any special egg replacers!
How to make the best chocolate beetroot cake
First, we need to blend the cooked beet, milk, chocolate and espresso powder. The heat from the beetroot and milk will melt the chocolate and bloom the coffee. You can use a food processor, but it may be a little messy as there’s a lot of milk involved.
After that, mix the dry ingredients then the wet ingredients in one large bowl. The final cake batter should be a little runny with small lumps of beetroot. Cocoa powder is a very dry ingredient so the batter needs a bit of liquid to ensure the cake is moist.
Baking the cake
In an 8-inch (20cm) round cake tin, the chocolate beet cake will take around 43-48 minutes to bake. Bake the cake for a shorter time for a fudgier moister cake, or bake the cake for a little longer for a dessert reminiscent of mud cake. Don’t worry if your cake deflates when you remove it from the oven!
The cake will also bake well in an 8-inch (20cm) square pan or 9-inch (23cm) round pan. The cake will bake in around 40-45 minutes, and will be a bit shorter.
Ways to decorate the cake
This snack cake isn’t overly sweet and is best paired with a dark chocolate ganache frosting. I also added a thick beetroot-colored icing and chocolate shavings for extra fun (this is completely optional).
Alternatively, you can top the chocolate beetroot cake with:
- A light dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa
- Melted chocolate ganache
- Whipped dairy-free cream
- Chocolate buttercream or strawberry buttercream (a sweeter option)
- Vegan cream cheese frosting
Customizing this beetroot cake recipe
Yes! The recipe produces a tall cake, so I would multiply the recipe by only 150% for a layered cake.
In the gray recipe card, tap on the number next to ‘Servings’ and drag the number to ’15’. The cake will bake well in 2 x 8-inch cake pans (similar in size to my vegan pumpkin cake) or 3 x 6-inch cake pans (like my vegan Biscoff cake). Perfect for special occasions!
I have only tested this recipe as it’s written. It may work with ¾ cup (255g) of maple syrup if you reduce the amount of milk. You may be able to replace the oil with nut butter, but I haven’t tested it. The texture of the cake will also be different.
Yes! You can either use pre-cooked beets or blend the beet puree in advance and store it in your fridge for couple of days.
More chocolate recipes with hidden vegetables
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Chocolate Beetroot Cake (vegan)
Vegan chocolate beetroot cake that is moist, fudgy, and irresistible! This cake is rich and indulgent, yet less sweet than a regular chocolate cake.
Servings: 10 serves
Ingredients
Chocolate ganache frosting (optional)
Beetroot icing (optional)
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Instructions
Prepare the beetroot mixture:
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Remove the stems and peel the beetroot. Cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) chunks.
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Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add the beetroot. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the beetroot is fork tender. Drain the beetroot. If you want to make the beetroot frosting, reserve a few teaspoons of the pink beet water.
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Add the warm beetroot and milk to a blender and blend until it’s as smooth as possible (note 2). Stir in the chocolate and espresso powder and set it aside for 5 minutes to let the chocolate melt. If the chocolate hasn’t melted, warm up the mixture in the microwave or the stovetop.
Prepare the cake:
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line an 8-inch (20cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.
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Add all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder, raising agents and salt) to a large mixing bowl and mix until very well combined. Add the warm beetroot mixture and the rest of the wet ingredients to the bowl and stir until just combined. Some lumps are fine, but make sure there are no streaks of flour or wet ingredients.
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Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan. Bake for 43-48 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
Make the ganache (optional):
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Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave until it is steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes to soften the chocolate.
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Stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth ganache. Let the ganache cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours. You can also let it set in the fridge, but it won’t set evenly.
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Once it has cooled, use it as is or beat it with an electric mixer to make it lighter and fluffier.
Make the beetroot frosting (optional):
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Mix the powdered sugar, melted butter and 1 teaspoon of beetroot water in a small bowl until combined. Drizzle in extra beetroot water to thin the frosting. It should be thick and almost spreadable, rather than a thin drizzle.
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When the cake has fully cooled, top with the chocolate ganache and beetroot frosting. Cut the cake and serve!
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Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The beetroot frosting may change color over time, so it’s best to add this to the cake on the day of serving.
Notes
- Coconut cream results in a thicker ganache frosting so you may want to add an extra dash of milk or cream for a more spreadable frosting.
- If you’re using a small personal blender with an airtight lid, please don’t blend the beetroot and milk when it’s hot. The hot air won’t be able to escape and your blender might explode/pop when you open the lid. After you’ve blended the mixture, heat it up to melt the chocolate etc.
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