Cherry and beetroot cake

Cherry and Beetroot cake

I had left over roasted beets, bought from the local grocer, locally grown, young and tender.  I had the last of last year's bumper harvest of morello cherries to use up before this year's crop.  I wondered about combining them.

Putting cherry and beetroot into Google produced a spicy streusle cake by Dan Lepard.  I figured it was worth trying a simpler version of this to check out the basic flavour combination.

I used a large loaf tin lined with parchment.  Set the oven at 180C

150g morello (sour) cherries, drained
150 cooked beet, grated
150 butter, softened
150 sugar
150 flour - I used 75g almond, 75g my mix (40%urid, 40%tapioca,20%cornmeal)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs

Cream butter and sugar together.
Add eggs and beat.
Add flour and baking powder, beat.
Add cherries and beetroot, stir in gently.
Put into greased and lined tin and bake for about 45minutes until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cherries and grated beetroot

This is a brightly coloured, moist cake. It would look amazing if you used the cherry juice to make bright pink icing.  it is soft and sweet, with only the occasional hint of beetroot; TT doesn't eat beetroot generally, except occasionally borscht, and he was happy to eat this.  If making it again I would add a bit more spice and some vanilla. or possibly a teaspoon of cocoa powder.  The texture is good, and it holds together well.