Yep, we’re back to the beetroot! It makes an amazing baking ingredient and you won’t need to add any food colouring to your batter to achieve that luxurious red colour. We definitely think you should give our beetroot red velvet cupcakes a try this weekend.

MAKES 24 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes
100 g butter
1 tbsp cocoa
3 eggs
100 ml buttermilk
180 g sugar
110 g flour
100 g ground almonds
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
2 beetroots, grated
For the icing
230 g plain cream cheese
½ cup icing sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

METHOD
For the cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line 2 × 12-hole muffin trays with paper cases.
2. In a pot over low heat, melt together the butter and cocoa. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, beat together the eggs and buttermilk.
4. In another bowl, sieve together the sugar, flour, almonds, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add the butter mixture, then add the egg mixture and mix well. Fold in the beetroot.
5. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for 15–18 minutes, until cooked through and spongy to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the tray and allow to cool completely.
For the icing
1. Mix all the ingredients together, adding a few tablespoons of water if needed for the right consistency.
2. Ice the cooled cupcakes and decorate with lemon zest.