Ingredients

• 75g/2½oz cocoa powder or powdered drinking chocolate
• 180g/6½oz plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 250g/8½oz caster sugar
• 250g/8½oz cooked beetroot
• 3 large eggs
• 200ml/7fl oz corn oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• icing sugar for dusting

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4. Arrange paper muffin cases in a 12-mould muffin tin.
• Sift the cocoa powder
• flour and baking powder into a bowl. Mix in the sugar
• and set aside.
• Purée the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs
• one at a time
• then add the vanilla and oil and blend until smooth.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients
• add the beetroot mixture and lightly mix. Pour into the muffin cases.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger.
• Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.