A Cake That Can’t Be BEET!

If you’re searching for a unique dessert to impress, look no further! This novel and tasty cake will make you the who’s who among dessert bringers in your world of social events and family gatherings. On the other hand, if you’re like me and have beets coming up from the ground all year round, you’ll need another innovative way of getting your loved ones to eat them! Here’s a creative beet recipe for your household and friends to enjoy.- Just don’t tell anyone it’s made with beets until after it’s been eaten. They won’t believe it!

My recipe is not vegan, but it easily can be.  Substitute Fleggs (Whipped and chilled: 1 Tbsp flaxmeal + 3 Tbsps hot water = 1 egg), vegan butter, and alternative milk for non-vegan ingredients.

With its unique sugary fresh flavor, moistness, and daintily pink tinted decadent buttercream frosting, this cake will definitely be the talk of the table!

Ingredients:

Cake

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 2 tsps Rum (or vanilla)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1 ½ tsps. Baking soda
• 2 tsps cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 cups finely cubed beets*

*About 3 large red beets. Clean beet roots and remove the beet greens. In a pot, cover the beets with water and boil until skins are softened, about 20 minutes or so. Under cold water, carefully rub off the beet skins. Beets will be slightly softened, but still firm. Slice or chop into 3 cups worth of fine cubes. Chill for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven at 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking dish, or the equivalent.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, and rum (vanilla) until light and fluffy.

In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture ½ at a time and stir until well incorporated.

Gently fold the beet cubes into the batter about a cup at a time.

 

Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until an inserted butter knife comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before attempting to remove.

Buttercream Frosting

• ½ cup softened butter
• About ½ Tbsp juiced beet*
• 1 tsp rum or vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 Tbsps. cream (half & half, whipping cream, milk, or alternative milk will do)

*In a juicer, juice one medium sized beet.  If you don’t have a juicer, clean, scrub, and chop one beet and shred it in a blender with about 1 cup of water.  Boil it until water is almost all soaked up.  Strain as much as you can, or let the beets cool and squeeze out about a tablespoon or so.  Make sure beet juice is completely cooled before using.

In a large bowl, add butter, beet juice, and rum (vanilla) and mix well. Add powdered sugar and continue mixing, also adding 1 Tbsp. of cream at a time until desired consistency.

Make sure the cake is completely cooled before frosting it.

 

There you have it, a cake that can’t be BEET!