Preparation Notes: 35min, plus cooling
Cooking Notes: about 1hr 10min
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For the cake
- 125 g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
- 250 g (9oz) raw beetroots (peeled weight), coarsely grated
- 75 ml (3 fl oz) buttermilk
- 11/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 200 g (7oz) caster sugar
- 250 g (9oz) plain flour
- 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- 11/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
For the icing
- 100 g (3 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 350 g (12oz) icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 175 g (6oz) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature - we used Philadelphia
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.
- Step 2
For the cake, in a food processor whiz the grated beetroot, buttermilk, vinegar and vanilla to a pulpy purée. Add butter, sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and eggs and whiz to combine.
- Step 3
Pour mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 1hr-1hr 10min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 30min, then remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Step 4
When cool, make the icing. In a freestanding mixer or using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter, half the icing sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until completely smooth (go slowly at first to avoid a cloud of icing sugar). Add the remaining icing sugar and the cream cheese and beat until just combined (do not overmix or icing may become too loose).
- Step 5
To assemble, slice the cooled cake in half horizontally; reserve crumbs. Use half the icing to sandwich the cake halves back together, then top with remaining icing and sprinkle with crumbs.
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To store
Iced cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Per Serving:
- Calories: 592
- Fibre: 2 g
- Total carbs: 76 g
- Sugars: 57 g
- Total fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 18 g
- Protein: 6 g
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
