Golden Beetroot and Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing - Recipe

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Ingredients
  • 475g light brown muscovado sugar
  • Grated zest of 2 oranges
  • 450g butter, melted
  • 6 eggs
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 450g plain flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1½ tablespoons mixed spice
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 275g golden beetroot, grated
  • 325g carrots, grated
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, grated
  • 200g sultanas
  • 150g pecans, roughly chopped
Method
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C and line and grease a baking tin 32cm x 22cm x 5cm.
  2. Whisk the sugar with the orange zest until fragrant.
  3. Add the butter and mix until thoroughly combined.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice, salt and black pepper.
  6. Fold the flour into the wet ingredients one third at a time.
  7. Add the beetroot, carrot, apple, sultanas and pecans and fold until completely combined.
  8. Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake for about 60-70 minutes. If the cake is getting too brown half way through drape some foil over the top of the cake.
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
  • 350g unsalted butter
  • 400g icing sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 250g cream cheese
  1. To make the cream cheese icing, cream the butter until soft then add the icing sugar and mix for about 10 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  2. Add the salt and vanilla and mix again to combine.
  3. Finally add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly until light and fluffy. Pipe onto the finished cake.
For the Pecan Brittle:
  • 50g pecans
  • 100g caster sugar for the praline
  1. Place the pecans on a baking tray and bake at 170°C for 10 minutes, remove, roughly chop the nuts and set aside.
  2. Pour the sugar in an even layer into a medium sized saucepan. Place on a gentle heat and watch carefully as the sugar caramelises. Shake the saucepan every now and then to promote an even caramelisation.
  3. Once the sugar has completely melted and turned a golden brown pour in the pecans and quickly turn over into the sugar with a silicone spatula so they are all coated.
  4. Pour the brittle immediately onto baking parchment into an even layer and leave to cool. Once cool, chop roughly then use to decorate the cake.
For the Candied Beetroot and Carrot:
  • 1 golden beetroot, julienned
  • 2 carrots, julienned
  • 220ml water
  • 200g caster sugar
  • + 50g extra caster sugar
  1. Pour the water and sugar into a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Then turn down to a simmer for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the carrot and beetroot and leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes.
  3. Strain the carrot and beetroot and pat dry, then sprinkle on half of the caster sugar.
  4. Place on a baking parchment lined tray and bake at 170°C for 4-5 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar and leave to cool. Then use to decorate the cake.