Chocolate Chip Beet Cake

I'm a terrible baker.  I often try to improvise on baked goods, like I would when cooking a meal.  But baking is truly a science and measurements matter, so I've ended up with more than my share of failures.

This experiment to take a red velvet cake recipe and make it all-natural and healthier was a failure on one hand.  It certainly didn't end up red enough to suit me.  I wanted shocking red color without all the artificial food dye that usually goes into red velvet.  But it was a big success on the other hand because it tasted so good!

We're doing a big wellness kick at work and rarely do we have cookies, doughnuts, or other sugary desserts around anymore.  So I thought a free cake would be well-received, even if it was filled with BEET PUREE to bump up the fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamin C.  

I was right, the cake was universally praised, and not just because it was free.  They thought it tasted great.   I even told people it had beets in it, and they still liked it!  If you can make cakes out of carrots, zucchini, and pumpkin, well why not beets too?  The batter is a beautiful fuchsia, but after it comes out of the oven it's pretty much just a chocolate cake.  But with chocolate chips.  And cream cheese frosting.  And a ton of nutrients.

Chocolate Chip Beet Cake, adapted from Bakerella

Makes 1 double layer 9 inch round cake

3 medium beets, roasted, peeled, and pureed (about 1.5 cups puree)

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk, well shaken

1/2 c. olive oil

1 Tbsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1/2 c. cocoa powder (important:  NOT Dutch processed)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

2 c. chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease your 9-inch cake pans, and line with parchment.

In a large bowl, mix together your beets, eggs, buttermilk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.  In another bowl, mix together your flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and soda.

Add dry ingredients slowly to wet and stir to combine.  Fold in chocolate chips.  

Pour batter evenly into cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

3 c. powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together and use to frost cake.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Chocomole

TWO YEARS AGO:  Lemon Yogurt Cake

THREE YEARS AGO:  Green Beans with Almonds