· 250g of beetroot

· 4 large eggs

· 150g of golden caster sugar

· 120g of ground almonds

· 1 teaspoon of baking powder

· 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

· Plain flour

Method:

Start by greasing a 20cm spring-form cake tin then line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper - roughly the same size as the base of the tin, and then lightly dust the sides of the tin with flour.

Break 200g of your chocolate into small pieces over a bowl and place on to a pan of simmering water – keep stirring until melted. Be careful not to let the bottom of the bowl touch the water!

Chop your beetroot in half and then grate into a large mixing bowl. Then separate your egg whites from your egg yolks - add the yolks to the beetroot along with the sugar, almonds, baking powder, cocoa powder and melted chocolate, and mix together.

Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks – you’ll know when they’re done if you turn the whisk upside down and those peaks hold proudly! Now fold a quarter of the egg whites into the beetroot mixture before adding the rest slowly.

Decant the mixture into your cake tin and spread out evenly before baking at 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4 for 50 minutes, or until cooked.

Tip: Check your cake is done by

putting a knife

through the center.

If it comes out clean the cake's

c

ooked;

if not bake for a while longer.

Ta dah! Allow your cake to cool on a wire rack and when you’re ready to serve, melt the remaining chocolate to drizzle!

Voila – and isn’t chocolate an aphrodisiac?