Chocolate and beetroot cake with popping candy buttercream

I used to love popping candy when I was a kid and there's no reason why we can't use it in a more adult version of a dessert. I added it in the purple buttercream between the sponge layers and it adds a bit of fun to this Halloween cake. The beetroot is great as it makes the sponge very moist and the colour is an extra plus. Don't be put off by the intense black colour of the icing. You won't taste it and it won't leave your teeth stained. To get this colour I had to use up almost half a bottle of black food colouring... Black food always has something fascinating, right? Not quite natural so absolutely perfect for Halloween!

CHOCOLATE BEETROOT CAKE WITH POPPING CANDY BUTTERCREAM

For the beetroot sponge
250 grams self-raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
100ml vegetable oil
300g sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
2 eggs
100ml milk
2 tbs yoghurt
100g beetroot purée

For the spicy chocolate sponge
125 grams self-raising flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
50ml vegetable oil
150g brown sugar
1/2 tsp allspice
1 eggs
50ml milk
1 tbs yoghurt

rum to brush the sponge cakes with
200g unsalted butter
400g icing sugar
black food colouring
purple food colouring
2 packs popping candy
pomegranate seeds

Preheat the oven to 175°C and grease two baking tins of the same size. With a hand mixer beat the oil, sugar and vanilla sugar for a couple of minutes. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy. Sift the flour and cocoa and slowly beat in, alternating with the milk and yoghurt mix. At last add the beetroot and fold in. Divide in two and pour into the baking tins. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Take out of the tins and cool on a rack. In the meantime prepare the second batch according to the same instructions, bake and cool as well. Brush one side of the sponges with some rum. Now leave the sponges in the fridge to chill so it will be easier to apply icing later.
To make the icing beat the butter until pale and fluffy and slowly add the sifted icing sugar. Beat some more until uniform. Divide in two batches and colour with the liquid food colouring and add the popping candy to the purple batch. Spread the purple icing between the three sponges and use half of the black on the outside. Chill again for another hour and then apply the rest of the black butter cream evenly. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.