Chocolate Beet Cake
By Beth Jones
Ingredients
- 4 medium beets or about 2 bunches small summer beets, washed
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
- ¼ – ½ cup water as needed
- 4 ounces unsweeted chocolate
- 1 cup canola oil
- 3 eggs from Sunshine Harvest Farm
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups flour from Sunrise Flour Mill
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup plus 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
Rub the beets with oil and roast in a small pan at 425, for 1 1/2 hours, or until a fork can easily pierce through to the center of the beet. Allow to cool to room temp, and peel using a small paring knife. Puree the beets in the bowl of a mini chopper, or food processor with 1/4-1/2 cup water as needed. The puree should be completely smooth. This should equal roughly 2 cups of beet puree.
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two 8-inch round baking pans. Line each with a parchment round, grease again and then dust with flour.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a small bowl in the microwave. Allow to cool slightly. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, mix the oil, eggs and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Mix in the chocolate, vanilla and beet purée. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter in the lined pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Turn the layers out and allow to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the butter in the bowl of a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla and cocoa powder and beat until smooth. Be sure to scrape the bowl so that all the butter is thoroughly incorporated. Spread the frosting between the cake layers and around the outside of the cake.
