This beetroot and carob cake is surprising due to the unusual combination of ingredients. The result is a cake that is as tasty as it is healthy.
Ingredients:
1 cooked beetroot (approx. 250 gr.)
150 gr wholemeal flour
3 eggs
150 ml coconut milk
100 gr ground carob
50 gr carob syrup
A pinch of salt and a little butter
A clarification about this cake: despite not having added sugar, it must be taken into account that both beetroot and carob contain a good amount of natural sugars. The result will therefore be sweet, and we can regulate it according to our preference by varying the amount of carob syrup. It is worth to try this cake because although it is not a low-calorie recipe, we still get a snack of high nutritional quality.
About the ingredients:
Carob is a very common pod in Mediterranean countries. Until recently it was considered “out of fashion” in many countries such as Spain, since it was considered a cheap food, typical of the years of poverty in the country. However, its multiple nutritional properties have made it return to the regular diet of many people. Its flavor is reminiscent of chocolate, but without the high fat content that cocoa has.
The presence of coconut milk can be striking in the list of ingredients, since it is normally associated with Asian recipes. However, it not only gives us a particular aroma and flavour, but it also adds a fat content that allows us to do without butter, a common ingredient in cakes, muffins or brownies. Of course, if necessary, we can replace it with natural yogurt or some any other type of milk.
In the case of flour, it is possible to use any of our preference. The recipe is excellent even with those with a low gluten content such as buckwheat flour, as the egg helps the mixture to bind and the cake to be fluffy.
The recipe for beetroot and carob cake:
Preheat the oven to 180°. Peel and mash the cooked beetroot together with the milk, eggs and carob syrup. Separately, mix the dry ingredients (flour, ground carob and a pinch of salt). Add them to the wet mixture and mix with a spatula until fully combined, checking that there are no lumps.
Lightly butter a baking dish (with this quantity, I used a 20×20 tray). Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Tips and tricks:
- If you have carob syrup or molasses, you can use honey or, even better, Medjool dates.
- Walnuts also go very well in this recipe; you can add them whole to the mix or decorate with some on top.
- Vegetables with a high natural sugar content are an excellent option for baking healthy sweet snacks, like these carrot muffins.