I was flicking through Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Companion in bed the other night (Yes, I do take cookbooks to bed with me) and this recipe caught my eye. It was probably because the Chocolate Zucchini Loaf was still fresh in my mind – geez, that was good. If carrot and zucchini are good in cakes, why not beetroot?
These muffins are soft and moist, more like little cakes than the crunchy top muffins I used to buy (in my previous life) from Croissant Express when I was being exceptionally wicked.
They taste fabulous and they are very quick to make, if you have a food processor. The chocolate is the overwhelming flavour. I can’t discern the beetroot but Maus says she can.
This recipe makes 12.
Ingredients:
- 250g raw beetroot, peeled (about two medium beetroots)
- 175g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbs* cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 60g softened butter
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 12 squares of dark chocolate
*These are 20 mil tablespoons.
Method:
- Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin with butter.
- Preheat oven to 180ºC.
- Grate the beetroot.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and cocoa.
- Lightly whisk the eggs with the milk.
- Process the butter, oil and sugars in a food processor until creamy.
- Gradually add the egg/milk mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and fold to combine.
- Stir in the grated beetroot.
- Spoon mixture into muffin holes.
- Break chocolate into 12 pieces and poke a piece into the top of each muffin.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes until well-risen and springy to the touch.
- Cool in tin for a few minutes then transfer to a cake rack.
Passion Fruit Garden 
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yum, looks fab Glenda, reminds me of red velvet cupcakes!
Hi Lisa, they are a little red … and very nice.
These sound fabulous.
🙂 Mandy
Hi Mandy, They are lovely. I have frozen them. We take one out each day and zap it for 30 seconds – perfect.
These sound delicious, Glenda, and for a change I’ve got all of the ingredients — even the beetroot. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Hi John, I just had one with a cup of coffee, very nice. Enjoy yours.
These look gorgeous Glenda. How big are your squares of chocolate? Could you give us a weight measurement please? I want to try these asap!
Hi Melissa, the recipe called for 100g of dark chocolate broken into 12 squares. I used 12 squares from a block of Whittaker’s Dark Ghana 72% cocoa. I didn’t weigh it. Thanks for visiting.
We’ve just planted a punnet of beets in the garden – if they come up, I’ll be back for this recipe, Glenda! Hugh FW does a version of beetroot and chocolate cake as well!
Hey Celia, I just planted 8 seeds. I am definitely not buying punnets this year. I am scarred for life from last summer’s effort 😦 If mine come up I will check out Hugh’s recipe. I do like the idea of vegetable in cakes. My mum’s standard cake which she baked every week for about 15 years was a pumpkin fruit cake. It must be in the blood!!