Chocolate & Beetroot Cupcakes

Soft, moist and super chocolatey. I dare you to make these and tell me otherwise! Alana Smith (@alanasmithsweetphotography) • Instagram photos and videos

Makes 9 - 12 standard size cupcakes

CHOCOLATE & BEETROOT CAKE BATTER

cooked* beetroot, 120g - about 1 large beetroot

egg, 1

water, 125ml (1/2 cup)

oil, 80ml (1/3 cup) - your preferred neutral flavour oil, I prefer olive oil or grapeseed oil

sour cream or unsweetened Greek style yoghurt, 125g (125ml or 1/2 cup)

brown sugar, 110g (125ml or 1/2 cup)

plain/cake/all-purpose flour, 150g (250ml or 1 cup)

cocoa powder, 35g (80ml or 1/3 cup)

bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, 5ml (1 teaspoon)

*steamed or oven roasted (top, tailed and peeled)

SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE GANACHE

dark chocolate (50% - 70%), 250g

unsalted butter, 100g

sour cream, 250g (250ml or 1 cup)

icing sugar, 165g (250ml or 1 cup)

To start, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a 12-hole standard size muffin tin with baking cups (or grease well with butter).

For the cupcake batter, in a large bowl, finely grate the cooked beetroot.

Add the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk again until uniform.

Divide the mixture among the baking cups (about 2/3 full) before baking for approximately 15 - 20 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out fairly clean - these cupcakes are super moist, so a bit of cake mixture might stick to the skewer, as long as it isn’t raw cake batter).

Remove the baked cupcakes from the oven, then cool on a cooling rack covered with a clean tea towel.

For the ganache, break the chocolate into blocks and roughly chop the butter before placing it in a large heatproof bowl.

Add the sour cream to the mixing bowl and place it over a saucepan of gently simmering water (taking care not to allow the water to touch the bottom of the mixing bowl).

Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted (the mixture might look split as this stage).

Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the icing sugar until silky smooth.

Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature until a spreadable (or piping) consistency (you can make the ganache while the cupcakes are in the oven baking).