Dotted with fresh blackberries, this light sponge tray bake is much lower in saturdated fat than traditional cakes as it is made with sunflower oil rather than butter, with a surprise of grated beetroot for added moistness.
Cuts into 24 small pieces
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
For the cake
3 medium eggs
150ml (1/4 pint) sunflower oil
175g (6oz) caster sugar
Grated rind of 2 lemons
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
175g (6oz) or 2 medium cooked beetroot from a chilled vacuum pack of beetroot in natural juices, drained and coarsely grated
150g (5oz) blackberries
To decorate
150g (5oz) icing sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Few lemon rind curls, optional
- Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF) Gas Mark 4. Line an 18 x 28 x 4cm (7 x 11 x 1½ inch) loose bottomed rectangular cake tin with a large piece of non-stick baking paper and snip into the corners of the paper diagonally. Press into the tin so that the base and sides of the tin are lined.
- Add the eggs, oil, sugar and lemon rind to a large mixing bowl and whisk together briefly until just mixed.
- Mix the flour and baking powder together, add to the egg mixture with the beetroot and whisk together until smooth. Pour into the tin and spread into an even layer.
- Arrange the blackberries over the top of the cake mixture in three rows then cook for 30-35 minutes until well risen and a skewer comes out cleanly from the centre. Leave to cool in the tin.
- To decorate, sift the icing sugar into a bowl then gradually stir in the lemon juice to make a smooth icing that will slowly fall from a spoon. Drizzle the icing over the cake. Sprinkle with lemon rind removed with a zester or grater, then leave for 30 minutes for the icing to set.
