I had been thinking about chocolate cake for way too long, like a couple of months...really. And it's so a-typical for me, that I kept passing it off, believing that it'll just go away if I ignore it long enough. And gosh darn it, I'm better than that! Cave in to something so common, so general, so simple, so sugary and evil is not what I like to do! At least let it be about something with a little more culinary savvy, like a glorious chocolate souffle or like Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk! But no, it didn't go away!
The craving was relentless, and I am indeed giving in to the beauty of an all American and sinfully deep dark cocoa rich cake, but...with the redeeming addition of beets...yes, I said BEETS!
And why not? We've got carrot cake, zucchini cake, pumpkin pie, and even brownies made with beans! We see that vegetables make great desserts, wouldn't you say?! So stay with me, because what I have for you today is so simply divine, so very easy, and may possibly even be good for you, that it might just become your new favorite way to serve up cake (and get your kids to eat beets)! And I need a reason to affirm the goodness of this indulgence!
Unlike many cake recipes that call for separating eggs, beating softened butter, melting the chocolate and dirtying too many pans, here's a recipe that is a quick throw together. It's more like one of those one bowl crazy cake concoctions; the hardest thing you have to do is roast a few beets, let them cool and peel them (which can be done the day before!) And the addition of those beautiful red beets boosts nutrition significantly and creates an incredibly moist cake! This recipe is killer good!
The cake will stand on it's own, no frosting needed, just a simple dusting of powdered sugar (or cocoa powder), and maybe a bit of whipped cream. But if you must frost, I have included a simple ganache recipe, which is a blend of heavy cream and chocolate, to heighten the cocoa caffeine buzz, although a vanilla buttercream (use only real unsalted butter please!) would also do just fine. However you choose to indulge, you cannot go wrong with this cake!
And why not? We've got carrot cake, zucchini cake, pumpkin pie, and even brownies made with beans! We see that vegetables make great desserts, wouldn't you say?! So stay with me, because what I have for you today is so simply divine, so very easy, and may possibly even be good for you, that it might just become your new favorite way to serve up cake (and get your kids to eat beets)! And I need a reason to affirm the goodness of this indulgence!
Unlike many cake recipes that call for separating eggs, beating softened butter, melting the chocolate and dirtying too many pans, here's a recipe that is a quick throw together. It's more like one of those one bowl crazy cake concoctions; the hardest thing you have to do is roast a few beets, let them cool and peel them (which can be done the day before!) And the addition of those beautiful red beets boosts nutrition significantly and creates an incredibly moist cake! This recipe is killer good!
The cake will stand on it's own, no frosting needed, just a simple dusting of powdered sugar (or cocoa powder), and maybe a bit of whipped cream. But if you must frost, I have included a simple ganache recipe, which is a blend of heavy cream and chocolate, to heighten the cocoa caffeine buzz, although a vanilla buttercream (use only real unsalted butter please!) would also do just fine. However you choose to indulge, you cannot go wrong with this cake!
Easy Chocolate Beet Cake
makes one 8" or 9" round cake layer
Start by roasting 3 medium beets that have been washed and scrubbed: place them in a glass dish, wrapped tightly in foil and roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Let them cool enough to slip off the peels. Cool completely.
The Dry Team:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
The Wet Team:
3/4 cup grated cooked beets
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup water (or beet juice, collected from the roasting process)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8" or 9" cake pan by spraying with non stick spray, or butter and flour the pan.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and cocoa powder. The sugar will help break up the large lumps of cocoa powder. Then add the flour, baking powder and soda, and the salt. Stir with a wire whip to incorporate completely.
Measure out the wet ingredients. Add them altogether to the dry mix, and stir well. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick come out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan 15 minutes. Then turn out and finish cooling. Frost if desired, or dust with powdered sugar.
makes one 8" or 9" round cake layer
Start by roasting 3 medium beets that have been washed and scrubbed: place them in a glass dish, wrapped tightly in foil and roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Let them cool enough to slip off the peels. Cool completely.
The Dry Team:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
The Wet Team:
3/4 cup grated cooked beets
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup water (or beet juice, collected from the roasting process)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8" or 9" cake pan by spraying with non stick spray, or butter and flour the pan.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and cocoa powder. The sugar will help break up the large lumps of cocoa powder. Then add the flour, baking powder and soda, and the salt. Stir with a wire whip to incorporate completely.
Measure out the wet ingredients. Add them altogether to the dry mix, and stir well. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick come out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan 15 minutes. Then turn out and finish cooling. Frost if desired, or dust with powdered sugar.
Ganache Frosting
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp corn syrup
Bring heavy cream to a simmer and remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and let the mix stand for a couple of minutes to melt the chips. Stir until smooth. Add the corn syrup, which ensures a lovely sheen after the ganache is cool. Allow the mix to cool to room temperature and a spreadable consistency. Do not refrigerate the ganache before frosting the cake or it will become too firm to spread.
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp corn syrup
Bring heavy cream to a simmer and remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and let the mix stand for a couple of minutes to melt the chips. Stir until smooth. Add the corn syrup, which ensures a lovely sheen after the ganache is cool. Allow the mix to cool to room temperature and a spreadable consistency. Do not refrigerate the ganache before frosting the cake or it will become too firm to spread.
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