This isn’t really a “Witches Kitchen version of healthy” recipe. But birthdays are exceptions. I made a double mix for Johanna’s birthday and the extra cake went on to Odin’s birthday – Johanna’s 53rd and Odin’s 2nd – and both sets of party-goers wanted the recipe. Proves kids do have taste! This is the kind of cake you need if you plan to stay up dancing all night, or playing chasie all afternoon.
The Recipe
Turn the oven on to medium to heat up. Grease a 23cm deep cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper.
Cream together 250g butter and 250 grams (1½ packed cups) of dark brown sugar. Add 4 eggs and a teaspoon of vanilla essence and beat in.
Sift together 2 cups of self raising flour, 2 big tablespoons of cocoa powder, and a teaspoon of baking powder. Stir into the butter-sugar-egg mix.
Add 500 grams of grated raw beetroot and 100 grams of grated dark chocolate. The Ethical Consumer Guide is a good way to check for free trade brands of chocolate – there are several to choose from and they are easily available.
The Icing
This is the simplest ever way to top a cake, and it works brilliantly. Beat together ordinary cream and jam until thick. Stop before it turns to butter! For this cake, you will need about 100 ml of cream and a good tablespoon of jam – just keep adding jam until you get the right depth of colour. Boysenberry jam creates a good deep pink coloured cream before it gets too sickly sweet.
Add birthday candles and about 20 people to help eat it!
Thank you so much for this beautiful gift. I have to say it was the most beautifully presented birthday cake I have ever had. Linda had 5 heart shaped cakes placed in a circle on burgundy paper, surrounded by pink dalias and candles. It was so pretty…. and a real crowd pleaser. Thanks again.