Beet Chocolate Cake
by Laura Frerichs, Tastemaker in Residence - recipe from (from Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook) + photo from marthastewart.com
photo from Martha Stewart
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
3-4 ounces unsweetened chocolate 2 cups flour
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups shredded beets
1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans. Whisk dry ingredients together. Melt chocolate very slowly over low heat or in double boiler. Cool chocolate; blend thoroughly with eggs and oil. Combine flour mixture with chocolate mixture, alternating with the beets. Pour into pans. Bake until fork can be removed from center cleanly, 40-50 minutes. Makes 10 servings. Beet cake is fabulous with a cream cheese frosting, a raspberry ganache frosting or just sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a little vanilla ice cream.
Note: We have made successful beet cakes by also cooking beets first, and then pureeing them before adding to mixture. Some believe that the texture of the cake is improved by using this method. Farmer John’s Cookbook has a recipe using this method.