Chocolate Raspberry Beet Cake

This is the most impressive chocolate cake you will see all month – or all year for that matter. It has two layers of moist beet cake, a delicious chocolate "butter" cream frosting, raspberry jam in the center, and it's topped off with elegant homemade chocolate hearts.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BEET CAKE [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1 cup gluten-free flour
• 1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup almond or soy milk
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar or stevia
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons beet juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 2/3 cups vegan butter
• 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons raspberry jam
• 1 large handful of fresh raspberries

FOR THE CHOCOLATES:

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 5 tablespoons cacao powder
• 4 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line two 7-inch cake tins.
2. First, make the raw chocolates as these need time to set.
3. Gently melt the coconut oil and maple syrup, then whisk in the cacao powder to form a smooth sauce.
4. Scatter a shallow layer of freeze-dried raspberries over the base of a mini heart-shaped ice cube tray then, pour over the chocolate sauce.
5. Set it in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
6. Now start making your cake by mixing together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk them to get rid of any lumps.
7. Whisk together the milk, stevia/sugar, oil, vanilla, beet juice, and vinegar until frothy then, pour this into the dry ingredients.
8. Gently fold them in to combine them and form a batter but don’t overmix it.
9. Pour this between the two prepared cake tins and smooth it out evenly.
10. Bake the cakes for 15-20 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch.
11. Leave them to cool.
12. Now start making the frosting by using an electric mixer to beat the vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Keep this in the refrigerator until it’s needed.
13. When your cakes have cooled and you’re ready to assemble, carefully remove the cakes from the tin.
14. Place them one on the bottom of a serving plate and spread half the chocolate buttercream over it to cover.
15. Now spread the underneath of the other cake with the raspberry jam, then carefully place on top of the cake.
    Cover the top of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Now arrange the raspberries on top of the cake along with the raw chocolate hearts.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/chocolate-raspberry-beet-cake/