Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup finely ground almonds
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces beets, peeled and finely grated
• 4 ounces low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons strong black coffee
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons strong black coffee
• 2 tablespoons honey
• organic unsprayed rose petal

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 lightly spray an 8-inch springform baking pan with cooking spray.
• 3 in a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, ground almonds, salt and baking soda, and set aside.
• 4 using a standing or handheld mixer set at medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar for 4 full minutes until pale and fluffy. on low speed, beat in the grated beets, followed by dry ingredients. add the buttermilk and coffee, and beat until the batter is smooth.
• 5 pour into the pan and place in the middle of a hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. test with a toothpick inserted for doneness; it should come out clean. bake for an additional 5 minutes if needed.
• 6 cool for 10 minutes or so in the pan and unmold onto cooling rack. cool on a wire rack until cold.
• 7 to make the icing, prepare a double boiler.
• 8 combine all the icing ingredients and gently stir until the chocolate is smooth. stir occasionally until the mixture thickens.
• 9 with the cake still on the wire rack, pour the icing liberally over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides. transfer onto a plate or cake stand for serving and garnish with rose petals (if desired). yum!