Beetroot Cupcakes

No one dislikes beetroot more than me. But these cupcakes are beautiful, and perfectly moist. The beetroot is utterly undetectable - you could try and see if anyone can guess the secret ingredient. You can do this as a cake, in a 20x30cm tin, and cook for 10 minutes more.

Beetroot cupcakes
Serves: 12 (12 pretty large cupcakes, perhaps they are more like muffins).
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking temp: Gas 4, 180C
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
210g beetroots, peeled and chopped weight
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
252g caster sugar
210ml vegetable/olive oil
2 1/2 eggs, or two large
189g plain flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
6 tbps cocoa powder

For the icing
See here

Method

1. Chop the beetroot roughly and cook in boiling water for at least 15 minutes, (The juice will get everywhere...) until they can be squashed fairly easily. Drain and puree with a blender to a smoothish paste (you don't want lumps of beetroot in your cakes!)
   
2. \Preheat the oven and line a 12 holed muffin tin with cases.
3. In a bowl, combine the beetroot with the eggs, vanilla, oil and sugar. Mmm. Mix well until combined.

   

   Lovely colour, though

4. In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and cocoa, then add to the beetroot and mix in well.
5. Divide the batter between the cases and bake for around 25 minutes.
   
6. Allow to cool before icing (I actually used these amounts: 200g icing sugar, 66g butter, 27g cocoa and 27ml milk) with a star-shaped nozzle and possibly with some royal icing flowers :)

   

   Ok, Ok, I know they look a lot like my other chocolate cupcakes... but they jut proves you can't tell the difference, hey? :D