Chocolate Beet Cake
serves 6-8
The sugar in beets pairs exceptionally well with chocolate, bringing out its fruity and spicy qualities like nothing else. You can use this batter to make cake or cupcakes.
Read more about this recipe at Cook & Eat.
3 large beets (enough to make 2 cups purée)
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, plus more for baking beets and greasing cake pan, if needed
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
prep: 20 minutes
total: 2 hours 30 minutes
large pot or aluminum foil
potato masher or food processor
large bowl
baking pan
1. Make the beet purée: Boil the beets for about 1 hour or peel/trim them and bake them in aluminum foil with a little dab of butter for about 1 hour. I didn’t want to lose any of the beet goodness into boiling water, and I’m quite glad I stuck with this approach. However, if you are concerned about the cake being “too beety,” feel free to boil them. Once the beets are soft and cooled, mash them with a potato masher or a food processor.
2. Preheat the oven to 325F.
3. Combine the melted butter, sugar, eggs and water, and mix until smooth.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together into a bowl, and then stir in the salt. Then, slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter/egg mixture. When it is smooth, fold in the beet purée.
5. Scoop the batter into a prepared baking pan. You’ll have to adjust your baking times for the size of your pan. For a small, 4-inch round, bake for about 30 minutes. Cupcakes take about 20-25 minutes. The Budnt cake from the original recipe called for 70 minutes. I recommend checking fairly frequently, and using the toothpick test to ensure the cake is set once the top starts firming up. Don’t overcook! You want the cake light but still moist.
Adapted from Dave's Dinners by Dave Lieberman.
