Raspberry Velvet Cupcakes

These rich chocolate flavour cupcakes with beetroot added have a moist, fluffy light texture and a fresh raspberry hidden inside.

Ingredients:

1. 200 ml sunflower oil plus extra for greasing

2. 175 g self-raising flour

3. 75 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

4. 250 g golden caster sugar

5. ½ teaspoon baking powder

6. 250 g vacuum-packed cooked beetroot in natural juices (total weight), drained and juice reserved

7. 3 eggs

8. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

9. 24 fresh raspberries (about 85 g total weight), divided

ICING AND DECORATION

1. 150 g softened butter

2. 225 g icing sugar, sifted

3. 1–2 teaspoons milk (optional)

4. 2 teaspoons freeze dried raspberry pieces, to decorate (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/Gas 5.

2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, caster sugar and baking powder in Mixing Bowl; mix well.

3. Finely chop half of the drained beetroot in Food Processor and add to flour mixture. Repeat with remaining beetroot.

4. Lightly whisk eggs, 200 ml oil and vanilla extract in separate bowl using Stainless Whisk. Gently fold egg mixture into beetroot and flour mixture until well combined (mixture will have an oily appearance — this is correct).

5. Using Large Scoop, place a level scoop of mixture in each prepared well. Place one raspberry into center of mixture for each cupcake; cover with a scoop of remaining mixture; dividing evenly (reserve remaining raspberries to decorate cakes). Bake 25–30 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted into the center of cakes comes out clean. Remove pan from oven to Cooling Rack; cool in pan 5 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pan to rack; cool completely.

6. Meanwhile, prepare icing. Beat together softened butter and icing sugar until well mixed using Spoon. Beat in 1–2 teaspoons of the reserved beetroot juice to colour icing the desired shade of pink and enough milk to make a soft buttercream icing. Fill Decorator fitted with closed star tip with icing. Pipe swirls decoratively on each cupcake. Decorate each cake with a fresh raspberry and sprinkle with freeze-dried raspberry pieces, if desired. Best eaten on the day they are made.

Makes 12 cupcakes

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