I’ve decided that I enjoy having fruit and veg in my cakes because I don’t feel so guilty when my kids ask for dessert after dinner. This week I have made Chocolate Beetroot Squares because I had beetroot in the fridge and the boys wanted chocolate brownies, which I didn’t have. I could have just made chocolate brownies, but what’s the fun in that?
Beetroots are great for adding into desserts because they create a lovely red base in your cake, like, perhaps a natural version of a red velvet cake, because they’re sweet and juicy. Plus, they’re high in vitamin C, fibre, potassium (for nerve and muscle function) and manganese (good for your bones, liver, kidney and pancreas). For the pregnant ladies amongst you, Beets also contain the B vitamin folate, which helps to reduce the risk of birth defects. So, what better way to enjoy the much-needed nutrients of beetroot than in a freshly homemade chocolate brownie! This recipe makes around 24 cake squares, so feel free to dish the healthy desserts out to your family and friends too.
I also thought about adding avocado to this recipe, but I thought, let’s not push it. The kids will probably only accept one vegetable per dessert – for now… I’m training them…
Here are the ingredients:
This recipe is also totally vegan as it uses a flax egg (well 3 flax eggs) in place of regular eggs. It’s quite simple to create a flax egg and it works really well as a plant based alternative – the original recipe called for three eggs, so I just created 1 flax egg (i.e. 1 tbsp. of flax seed to every 2 1/2 tbsps. water) x 3.
So, onto the recipe!
5-ingredient vegan chocolate beetroot squares
24
servings20
minutes30
minutes50
minutesThese Chocolate Beetroot Squares are completely vegan and taste like chocolate brownies – with the nutritional boost of beetroots added in!
Ingredients
300g cooked beetroot or 4 balls in a packet – cut into small pieces – washed, rinsed and grated
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 cups of plain flour
2 tsps baking powder
3 tbsps. Flaxseed 7 ½ tbsps. Water = 3 Flax Eggs – prepare this first so it is set by the time you use it.
7 tbsps. maple syrup or sweetener of your choice
Icing sugar (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven at 180C/350F/GM 4
- Add the flour to the mixer, along with the cacao powder and baking powder and mix well
- Then add the beets and the flax egg – mix on a low setting
- Finally, add the maple syrup and mix on low until all blended well
- Grab a square cake tin and grease the sides and bottom with avocado spray (because it’s the lightest spray and it doesn’t taste of anything. I used a 19” x 9” x 2” / 33 x 22 x 9cm cake tin.
- Layer thinly and place in the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes until a fork inserted comes out clean
- Serve with icing sugar lightly dusted on top (if you wish!)
Notes
- 3 eggs = 3 tbsps. Flaxseed and 7 ½ tbsps. Water.
Fancy more healthy dessert recipes? Check out my Sweet Potato and Banana cookies here!
Or my Chocolate Pistachio and Avocado Mousse, which is delicious!
When you are ready to create the recipe, don’t forget to tag me on @fiveforafiver via Facebook/Twitter (@fiveforafiver1 on Instagram) and use the hashtags #FiverFoodies and/or #FiveforaFiver, so I can check out your Chocolate Beetroot Squares!
I found a list of ingredients from Tesco for £5.45 total (Prices may vary after 12 May 2018). Check them out below:
Tesco Plain Flour, 1.5kg – 80p
Tesco Redmere Farms Beetroot, 300g – 65p
Clarks Original Maple Syrup, 180ml – £2.00
Tesco Cocoa Powder, 250g – £2.00
