Chocolate-Beet Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
When I made this for my daughter’s ninth birthday, she was afraid her friends would laugh at a cake made with vegetables. But after one bite of the dark, rich chocolate treat, every guest was sold on the idea. Always make this cake a day ahead, since the flavor and color need time to develop.
Ingredients
| 1 1/4 | cups | roasted or canned beets, drained and pureed * |
| 4 | ounces | bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled** |
| 2 | teaspoons | vanilla |
| 4 | eggs | |
| 1 | cup | vegetable oil |
| 1/2 | cup | Dutch-processed cocoa*** |
| 2 | cups | sugar |
| 2 | cups | flour |
| 2 | teaspoons | baking soda |
| 1/4 | teaspoon | salt |
| 1 | recipe | Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting |
| * This equals 1 15-ounce can of drained beets.** Supermarket chocolate works well in this cake. Save the expensive brands for another project.*** Do not use hot chocolate mix or other sweetened powders. |
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees
Prepare 2 9-inch cake pans.
- Pour the beets, chocolate, and vanilla into the bowl of your electric mixer and blend smooth.
- Add one egg at a time and mix well.
- Slowly pour in the oil and mix until incorporated.
- Sift the cocoa, sugar, flour, baking soda and salt into a spacious mixing bowl. Gradually add the dry mixture to the batter, beating on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat for two minutes.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool completely in their pans. Unmold onto cake racks.
- Frost with the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Preparation Time:
60 minutes plus overnight downtime.
Tips and Techniques
