Out & About Winter 2018

FOOD & DRINK

Beetroot red velvet cake This stunning cake is deceptively easy to make and super delicious to eat

Serves 6-8 250g beetroot (fresh) 75ml milk (whole or semi-skimmed) 2 tsp lemon juice 1½ tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp vanilla extract 125g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

Cream cheese frosting 200g cream cheese 300g icing sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large free-range eggs 250g self-raising flour 150g caster sugar 3 tbsp cocoa powder 1½ tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Line two x 15cm round loose-bottomed sandwich tins with baking parchment. Begin by placing the milk and two teaspoons of lemon juice into a small jug, then set aside. Next comes the finger-colouring peeling and fine chopping of the raw beetroot. Place into a bowl and add the milk and lemon, plus the white wine vinegar and vanilla. Pop the whole lot into a food processor, or use a hand blender, and blitz until you have a fine, silky-smooth pu- rée. Add the butter to the puree and give it another good blitz. Then add the eggs and – you’ve guessed it – blitz again until everything’s nicely combined and smooth. Lastly, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder onto your purée and mix well until everything is combined.

Divide the mixture evenly between two lined tins and pop into the oven to bake for 30-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean. Once cooked, place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before gently removing the tins and allowing the cakes to cool completely. Now for the light fluffy cream cheese frosting Place the cream cheese into a bowl with a small amount of icing sugar and blend together, gradually adding more icing sugar until it’s all combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix well together. Assembling your masterpiece Begin by slicing the two cakes across the middle to create four rounds. Spread some of your frosting evenly across the top of three rounds. Stack the frosted rounds, placing the un-iced round on top, and spread the rest of the frosting over the whole cake. Now step back and admire your masterpiece.

Cakes with Secret Ingredients from Aubergine to Zucchini

Following Kate’s ethos of appointing local suppliers, she has worked with West Berkshire-based copywriter Michelle Power, designer Clare Sheffield, food stylist Chris Williams and photographer Shannon Robinson to create a beautiful, high-quality book. It is priced at £24.99, including postage and packaging, and is availabe via www.blackberrycottagefayre.co.uk and from independent bookshops.

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