Happy Birthday Mummy – Chocolate Cupcakes with Beetroot

Beetroot CupcakesThis post is dedicated to my amazing mother who is celebrating her birthday today. Every time I see my mum, she asks for these cupcakes and now she will know my secrets to creating her favourite treat.

I know that beetroot is usually used in a savoury dish, however this is completely against the natural flavour of the beetroot which is sweet. When working with chocolate, I like to compliment the chocolate using additional flavours, such as salt or chilli or even beetroot. Chocolate and beetroot really works, it adds a quirky twist to a standard chocolate cupcake and also turns the mixture to a deep red colour.

This is for you mummy;

Ingredients;

–          70g Pure Cocoa Powder

–          130g Plain Flour

–          2 tsp Baking Powder

–          1 ½ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

–          200g Caster Sugar

–          4 Organic Free-range Eggs

–          200g Beetroot raw and not pickled.

–          6 tbsp Water

–          1tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

–          Pinch of Salt

For Cream Cheese Frosting

–          250g Cream Cheese

–          500g Icing Sugar

–          1 ½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Method:

Set the oven to 180C and line a cupcake baking tin with cupcake or muffin paper liners. We will begin with cooking the beetroot, as you will need to use the juice and the cooked beetroot once it is cool. Cut up your beetroot into small chunks and place in a small pan. Place your pan over a medium heat and add in your 6 tbsp of water. Mix well and the water should change colour to a deep purple/red colour, crank up the heat and bring to the boil, stirring regularly. Once the beetroot is soft, remove the chunks of beetroot and leave the beet water in the pan and boil, until the liquid has thickened. Using a fork, mash up your cooked beetroot and add it back into your thickened syrup. Remove the beetroot from the heat and leave to the side to cool fully.

In a bowl add the butter and beat for approximately 5 minutes. The colour should change from a yellow colour to a pale cream colour. Once this colour change has occurred, add in the sugar and beat again until the sugar has been incorporated. Now is the time to add in your eggs, one at a time, ensuring that all of the egg has been mixed into the butter and sugar well, before the addition of another egg. Once you have added in all of your eggs pour in your cold beetroot syrup with your cooked beetroot. This should turn the whole mixture red and looks beautiful. Add in your vanilla extract and mix again. In a separate bowl, add in the dry ingredients, this includes; flour, cocoa powder, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Stir these dry ingredients with a spoon and then add to your wet, red mixture. Add the dry mixture a 1/3 at a time and mix well before the next 1/3. Once all the ingredients have been incorporated, using a spatula fold the mixture. Once the mixture is smooth, pour into your cupcake liners until they are 2/3 full. Place them in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cakes spring back to the touch. Once your cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and leave to stand in the cupcake baking tin for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes is up, remove the cupcakes from the baking tin and leave to stand on a wire cooling rack until they become completely cold.

Whilst your cupcakes are cooling, this will give you the perfect opportunity to whip up some cream cheese icing. So… in a clean dry bowl add in your cream cheese (I like to use Philadelphia as it is intensely creamy and works really well in a cream cheese frosting). Whiz up your cream cheese until it is completely smooth and then using a spoon, spoon in your icing sugar and mix again. Once all of your icing sugar has been added to the cream cheese and there is no stray icing in the bowl, you can use an electric mixer to combine both of the ingredients. Add in the vanilla extract and stir well. Now the cupcakes are cold, pipe on your cream cheese icing and eat!

There you have it – my delicious chocolate cupcakes with beetroot.

Happy Birthday Mummy!

2 Responses to “Happy Birthday Mummy – Chocolate Cupcakes with Beetroot”

  1. Mummy Ross

    My Darling Jennifer,

    Thank you for these amazing choc/beet cupcakes. I have just made them and they are delicious!

    Thank you for making my birthday extra special

    Love you

    Mother xx

    Reply
    • jennifer

      I am SO pleased you like the recipe – now you can make them when ever you want! Or I will just keep making them for you! Love you tons and thank you for being so special xxx

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Mummy Ross Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge