Beet And Poppy Seed Marble Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3.5 oz vacuum packed pre-cooked beets
1 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
Pinch None salt
9 oz butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 medium eggs
2 3/4 cups self-raising flour
2/3 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
2 tbsp poppy seeds
Few drops pink food coloring

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325\u00b0F. Grease and line a 9-inch loaf pan. Puree the beets in a blender.
Place the 1 1/3 cup of sugar in a bowl with the salt, butter and vanilla extract. Beat until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour, then stir through the creme fraiche (or sour cream).
Divide the cake mixture between two bowls. Stir the pureed beetroot through one cake mix and the poppy seeds through the other.
Spoon the cake mixtures into the prepared pan alternating spoonfuls from each bowl. Once the loaf pan is filled, gently run a fork through the mixtures to create a marbled effect. Bake for 1 hour (checking the top after 30 mins - it may need to be covered with foil if browning too much).
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 mins, then remove and allow to cool on a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile add the food coloring to 2 tbsp of sugar and mix until the sugar has turned pink. Use pink sugar to dust the cake and serve.