CHOCOLATE AND BEETROOT FUDGE CAKE By Amanda

This sounds like a strange combination, but it extremely good!
I got this recipe many years ago from a lady I worked with in Sydney

•  2 small beetroots, stalks removed
•  2 cups water
•  2 cups sugar
•  1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
•  1 tbl plain flour, shifted
•  250g dark chocolate, chopped
•  100g unsalted butter, chopped
•  4 eggs
•  1 cup castor sugar
•  1 tsp vanilla
•  200g creme fraiche
•  1 cup plain flour, extra

Chocolate glaze

•  200g dark chocolate, chopped
•  100g unsalted butter, chopped

Place beets in a saucepan with sugar and water, dissolve sugar over low heat, then bring to the boil and simmer for 20 min or until soft. Cool and drain beets, peel and grate. Combine beets with apple and flour.

Combine chocolate and butter and melt over a saucepan of simmering water in a heat proof bowl, stirring until smooth. Cool. Beat eggs an sugar until thick and pale with an electric mixer. Stir in chocolate mixture, vanilla, creme fraiche and beetroot mixture. Fold in extra sifted flour. Grease and line square 19cm cake tin, pour in mixture and bake at 180ºC for 40 min or until firm. Allow to cool.

To make Glaze
Melt chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and cool until slightly thickened. Pour glaze over cake.