Red velvet cake

Red velvet cake is simply a purple-tinged chocolate cake. Some recipes use red food colouring, but another (healthier) option is to use fresh beetroot [Beta vulgaris, or beets].

1 bunch beetroot (anywhere between 200 g and 500 g seems OK)
2 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
3 teaspoons baking powder
0.5 cup olive oil
4 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Cook and purée the beetroot. (My tip: I wash, peel and chop the beetroot, then microwave it for about five to seven minutes. Make sure you put a lid on the container you use, or the microwave will end up looking like a crime scene. Cool the cooked beetroot before attempting to purée it.)

Oil and flour a 25 cm round cake tin. Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder together. In another bowl, mix the oil, eggs and puréed beetroot together. Fold all ingredients together. Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on a rack, and serve topped with cream cheese icing:

100 g cream cheese
50 g butter
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat all together. Ice when cake is cold.

This cake contains vegetables and cheese. Could we perhaps argue that

it is actually a salad? (Just kidding!)