Mary Berry’s chocolate cake is ‘beautifully moist’ thanks to 1 unusual ingredient—not oil
Mary Berry's chocolate cake is "beautifully moist" thanks to one ingredient added into the mixture.

Chocolate cake is a delicious treat, but it can be hard to achieve that moist, fudgy texture everyone loves. Luckily, Mary Berry, who has shared a plethora of cake recipes throughout her career, has the perfect recipe. It uses an unusual ingredient which guarantees the perfect flavour and texture.
The recipe notes said: “Mary Berry’s chocolate traybake includes grated beetroot, which makes for a beautifully moist, sweet cake. It’s topped with a chocolate feathered icing, which looks impressive but is so easy to do.”
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Mary Berry's chocolate cake recipe
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- Three large free-range eggs
- 50g cocoa powder
- 150g self-raising flour
- Two teaspoons of baking powder
- 175g light muscovado sugar
- 300ml sunflower oil
- 225g raw beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated
For the icing:
- 200g milk or dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 200ml double cream
- 50g white chocolate, chopped

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan before greasing and lining a 12x9-inch baking tin with baking paper.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the cocoa, flour, baking powder and sugar. Stir a little using a wooden spoon, then gradually mix in the oil and beat until combined to give a thick batter. Once smooth, stir in the grated beetroot.
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes, or until risen and springy to the touch. Remove and set aside to cool before icing.
To make the icing, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the cream and place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted, smooth and glossy.
Leave to cool a little and then pour the icing over the cold cake and spread it out to cover the top of the cake completely.
To decorate, melt the white chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of hot water. Spoon into a small piping bag fitted with a fine nozzle or a small food bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
Pipe the chocolate in parallel lines across the cake, about 2cm apart. Using a cocktail stick, drag through the white chocolate in opposite directions across the cake to give a feathered effect. Allow the chocolate to set a little before cutting into 12 small squares.