Chocolate Beetroot Muffins

I love adding vegetables to sweet baked goods! It is such a great way to sneak veggies into the kids.

It is not easy though. I have tried adding sweet potato to brownies, peas to lemon cake, pumpkin, zucchini and spinach to muffins and all have had limited success.

One of my learnings is that adding a pureed vegetable doesn’t work very well. It might taste ok when first baked but then the taste and extra moisture really start to permeate the whole cake/muffin/brownie.

I contemplated successful vegetable additions to baked goods like carrot cake. The carrot is grated rather than a puree.

Beetroot seemed like a good vegetable to try and add to chocolate muffins. While the kids may be put off by finding something orange or green and obviously a vegetable in their muffin, beetroot has a bright appealing colour more reminiscent of berries.

I could not find a recipe for muffins with grated beetroot though! All had cooked beetroot in them, which from my previous experiments I didn’t want to waste my time on.

I had to come up with my own. I took inspiration from many recipes, especially the ones that tackled the issue of dry chocolate muffins. The yoghurt really helps this.

These muffins been fantastic for adding to a waste free lunch box.

Top tips for great tasting Chocolate Beetroot Muffins

1. As with all muffins, do not overmix. You will get tough muffins.
2. Make sure to use raw grated beetroot. Anything cooked and soft will affect the taste and texture.
3. Use a mild flavoured oil like canola oil or rice bran oil (not olive oil)
4. If you manage to not gobble them all up warm, store in the fridge or muffins can be frozen.

Chocolate Beetroot Muffins

Classic moist chocolate chip muffins with grated beetroot for added nutrition, colour and flavour.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Australian

Servings 18 muffins

Ingredients

  

• 2 cup plain flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup plain yoghurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup oil rice bran or canola recommended
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large beetroot grated

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 200C (or 180C if fan forced)
• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and chocolate chips in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, combine yoghurt, milk, egg, oil, vanilla extract and beetroot.
• Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined.
• Spoon mixture into muffin cases (almost to the top). (If using silicone muffin cases, no greasing required)
• Bake for 20min or until skewer comes out clean.
• Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Keyword family favourite, kid friendly, quick, vegetarian

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