Chocolate Beet Cake with Beet-Vanilla Glaze Recipe

Ingredients

Cake:

• Baking spray with flour
• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• cup vegetable oil
• 1 cups pureed cooked beets
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 cups chocolate chips

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons pureed cooked beets
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan with a baking spray containing flour.

Step 2: Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

Step 3: Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, butter, and vegetable oil using an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes.

Step 5: Add the egg yolks to the creamed mixture and continue beating for another 3 minutes. Stir in the beet puree and vanilla extract.

Step 6: Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour in the buttermilk and mix again until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 7: Fold 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the cake batter, mixing gently. Add the remaining egg whites and carefully fold until no streaks of egg whites remain in the batter.

Step 8: Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top into an even layer.

Step 9: Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back lightly when touched, or a bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Step 10: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake and invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Glaze

Step 11: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream, beet puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more heavy cream; if it's too thin, add more powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached.

Step 12: Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it flow down the sides.

Cook's Notes

To prepare the beet puree, I used 8 small to medium-sized beets to yield the 1 cups needed for the recipe. First, remove the roots and stems, then scrub the beets clean. Place them in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover, put the lid on, and cook under medium-high heat until pressure is reached. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally. Let the beets cool completely before peeling off the skins and quartering them for pureeing in a food processor.

If you prefer, you can use canned beets just be sure to drain them thoroughly before pureeing. Avoid using pickled beets for this recipe!

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 518 per serving
• Total Fat: 23g (29% of daily value)
• Saturated Fat: 11g (56% of daily value)
• Cholesterol: 87mg (29% of daily value)
• Sodium: 415mg (18% of daily value)
• Total Carbohydrates: 79g (29% of daily value)
• Dietary Fiber: 5g (16% of daily value)
• Protein: 7g (15% of daily value)
• Potassium: 346mg (7% of daily value)

Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.