Chocolate Beetroot Cake

*This chocolate beetroot cake gets an added depth of flavor and extreme moistness from a favorite fall root – the almighty beet.

I’ve been adding grated zucchini to my cakes for years. Every time august rolls around the garden giants make their way in to cakes, breads, muffins, you name it.

This year, as I threw the flour and sugar into the bowl, preparing to make my favorite chocolate zucchini cake, I thought it might be fun to replace the old standby with something I’d wanted to try for awhile:

Beets.

Tried it. Instant success.

Roasted beets, grated and mixed into cake batter had the same effect as the zucchini – adding a serious amount of moistness(as a note: if you have qualms with the word moist, this blog is not for you) and balanced density.

Added bonus? The flavor of the beets adds to the depth of the chocolate notes.

Does it taste…beet-y?

No.

Like dirt(yeah, I see you beet haters)?

No.

It does, however, taste like rich chocolate heaven with a dose of salty chocolate buttercream to up it’s game.

Flowers on top are fun, but not necessary. This baby can stand on it’s own two feet…it’s got the beet 😉

A few tips for making the most of this cake:

Roast the beet before grating(see notes in recipe). Roasting beets brings out their sugars and they tend to taste sweeter and less earthy when prepared this way. You’ll also want to remember that you’ll need time to roast beets before making the cake. If you want to take a quicker route, you can buy pre-cooked beets in many markets. Just make sure they aren’t pickled!

This cake calls for espresso powder and hot water, but if you have an espresso machine you can pull a shot and use that in place of the powder and water.

This recipe makes a layer cake, but you can also bake it in a 9×13 pan and make a snacking cake out of it.

This cake is so awesomely moist that it will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge without drying out – I’ve tested it. It’s pretty cool.

Please oh please use the salted grass-fed butter for the frosting. It makes a world of difference in flavor and might possibly change your life.

This cake is rich and can go a long way – this recipe should serve 12 people at a minimum but can be stretched further.

Happy Fall Baking!

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More veggie-based cakes:

Zucchini Pumpkin Cake + Browned Butter Frosting

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Cakes

Zucchini Browned Butter Oat Cake

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

 

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*To roast beetroot for cake: wash 2 large beetroots and wrap each in tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until soft. Let cool in tin foil. Once cool, unwrap and peel skin away. Finely grate to be used in cake batter.

Author: Kayley

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: serves 12

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1½ cups Flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)
• 1½ cups Sugar
• ¾ cup Cocoa Powder
• ¾ teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ¾ teaspoons Baking Soda
• ¾ teaspoons Espresso Powder
• 2 Eggs
• ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
• ½ cup Milk
• 1½ teaspoons Vanilla
• ¾ cup Boiling Water
• 1 cup finely grated roasted beetroot*
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 12 ounces Grass-fed Butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla
• ¼ cup Cocoa Powder
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

1. FOR THE CAKE:
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 6" round baking pans(or two 8" round pans).
3. Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and espresso powder in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Add the egg, oil, milk, vanilla, and water to the dry ingredients and whisk in just until smooth, Add the grated beet and stir in just until combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until puffed and firm on top and a tester inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs attached.
6. Remove and let cool completely. Remove cakes from pans.
7. FOR THE FROSTING:
8. Place the butter in a large bowl along with the vanilla and cocoa powder. Beat with an electric mixer until the vanilla and cocoa are well combined. Beat on low, adding the powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time, until all of the sugar has been whipped in. Scrap the bowl down, turn the speed up to medium, and beat the frosting for another 30 seconds.
9. Use frosting to frost between and around cake layers. Garnish as desired.
10. Store covered at room temperature for a few days, or refrigerate for up to a week.

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