recipe: week 2 - beetroot seed cake

Nigel Slater's* beetroot seed cake


225g self-raising flour
1 scant teaspoon baking powder
180ml sun flour oil
3 eggs
juice of half a lemon
75g mixed seeds (sun flour, pumpkin, linseed)
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
225g light muscavado sugar
150g raw beetroot
75g sultanas or raisins
lemon juice

-for icing-
8 tablespoons icing sugar
poppy seeds
lemon juice

set the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. butter a loaf tin (20cmx9cmx7cm deep, measured across the bottom) and line with baking parchment. soft together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon. beat the oil and sugar until feel creamed then introduce the beaten egg yolks one by one, reserving the white for later. grate the beetroot and fold into the mixture, then add lemon juice, raisins and seeds. fold the flour and raising agents into the mixture while stirring slowly. beat the egg whites till light and almost stiff. fold gently into the mixture with a large metal spoon (a wooden one will knock the air out). pour the mixture into the cake tine and bake for 50-55 minutes, covering the top with a piece of foil after 30 minutes. test with a skewer to see if done. the cake should be moist inside but not sticky, leave the cake to settle for a good 20 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. the sieve the icing sugar and stir in enough lemon juice to achieve a runny consistency. drizzle over the cake and scatter with poppy seeds. leave to set before eating.


*in the interest of full disclosure, I have no idea who the heck that is