Chocolate Beet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

THE VERY BEST, MOST DELICIOUS AND MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE YOU'LL EVER TASTE (WITH A SURPRISE INGREDIENT: BEETS)!

Steps:

• Prepare two, 8″ or 9″ baking pans (or one, 9×13″); butter and flour them well.
• Puree the beets in a food processor along with the eggs, vanilla, oil and the sugar.
• In a large bowl, place the dry ingredients, then add the pureed mixture.
• Beat with an electric or stand mixer on low speed until well combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done a a tester (or skewer) comes out clean.
• Remove from pans after a few minutes and allow to cool completely on racks.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream frosting by beating the butter until soft, then adding the sugar, cocoa, 1/4 cup (2 oz) coffee and salt, and mixing until creamy and smooth. Continue to add more coffee until a soft, spreadable, or pipable consistency is reached.
• Cut the tops off the cake to make them level, you can see photos on this post. Place one layer of the moist chocolate cake on a serving plate and spread some buttercream on top.
• Place the second layer on top and decorate as desired with the frosting and other decorations, if desired (I put some almond crunch pieces on the sides.)

DECADENT CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE WITH CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• (This step can be done one or two days ahead of time). Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Clean the beets and wrap them in aluminum foil. Roast them until their knife-tender (about 1 hour), then allow them to cool.
• Using a food processor or the fine side of a box grater, shred enough beet to yield about 1 cup. You want the pieces to be quite small, so don't be afraid to shred the beets quite finely.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
• Line two round 8 or 9 inch cake (see note) tins with parchment paper and gently flour the sides.
• Melt chocolate in a bain-marie (double-boiler) or in a bowl over hot water. Keep the chocolate warm, but don't allow it to scorch.
• Use a hand or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until very fluffy.
• Beat in one egg at a time, then add vanilla, 3/4 cup (~180 g) shredded beets and melted chocolate.
• Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder) and sift to aerate.
• Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the beet mixture, a little bit at a time. Stop as soon as the batter is well-mixed and smooth. Spoon mixture into cake tins. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 30 minutes, but keep an eye on it as ovens can vary quite a bit), then cool
• Spread the sugar evenly in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and heat on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once the sugar darkens and begins to melt and bubble at the edges, add the vanilla, water, and salt to the pan. The caramel should sizzle dramatically. Once the mixture settles down a little, stir gently, and reduce the heat to a very low setting.
• Stir in the pecan pieces, ensuring that they're completely covered in caramel. Remove the candied pecans from heat and spread them out on a large, flat, heat-proof surface (e.g. a baking tray). Once cooled, break the clumps into small bits with a knife or by hand (but be careful - the sugar can be quite sharp).
• Either squeeze as much juice as you can from the reserved beet puree, or incorporate the puree itself if it's finely grated enough (but be careful if you plan to pipe the icing, as small pieces will stick in some tips).
• Place the beet puree (or juice) in a large bowl along with the other frosting ingredients. Use a stand or hand mixer to whip until the icing is well combined and somewhat airy. Set aside to chill in the refrigerator.
• If your cakes are a little domed, carefully slice off the rounded portion to make a flatter top.
• Mix the candied pecans with about 3/4 cup of the frosting. Spread this over the first layer of cake, then place the second layer on top.
• Frost the cake by spreading the frosting with a flat utensil, or if you prefer, by piping with a pastry bag. Serve immediately, or chill to set the frosting a bit more.

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined; set aside. Add beets, cocoa powder and milk to a blender and purée until well combined; set aside.
• Beat sugar with oil until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined. Stir in beet mixture and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and stir until just moistened.
• Divide between cake pans and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
• Place the first layer of cake on platter and spread a generous amount of Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with the second cake layer and frost the top and sides of the cake. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
• Beat cream cheese and butter just until combined; do not overbeat. Add icing sugar in two additions, beating until smooth; do not over mix. Stir in vanilla and beet juice.

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE WITH CINNAMON-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set each beet on a square of foil and drizzle lightly with vegetable oil. Seal the edges to wrap each beet and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Carefully unwrap and let rest until cool enough to handle.
• Peel the beets while they are still warm and cut into chunks. Add to a food processor and puree until smooth. Let cool completely. You should have 1 cup beet puree. (Save any extra puree for another use.)
• Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• Whisk together the beet puree, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, sour cream, water and eggs in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold to combine. Do not overmix.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake until the cake tops spring back when pressed gently and a tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 28 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pans to a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the racks and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt and and beat on low until combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until very smooth and light, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer one cake layer to a serving plate. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of the frosting over the top of the cake. Top with the remaining cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting (about 1 1/2 cups) over the entire cake to create a crumb coat. Refrigerate until the frosting is cold and firm, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer about 1 cup frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting in the bowl. Pipe rosettes on the top of the cake and garnish with baked beet chips. Chill 30 minutes to set the frosting before serving. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and pipe smaller rosettes of the remaining frosting around the base.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. Trim one end of the beet so it can sit flat on your mandoline (it is not necessary to peel it). Thinly slice the beet about 1/16 inch thick.
• Separate the slices and put in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the oil and toss well to lightly coat each slice. Sprinkle with the sugar and toss to distribute.
• Arrange the slices in a single layer without touching on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating the tray halfway through, until the chips are browned on the edges and crisp almost to the center, 25 to 30 minutes. (It's ok if the very center is still a bit pliable, they will continue to crisp as they cool.)
• Let the beet chips cool slightly on the baking sheet, then remove to a cooling rack to completely crisp up.

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE

Steps:

• For the penuche frosting: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. Make sure to not scrape the sides of the pan. Add the half-and-half and bring to a boil for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Gradually add the confectioners' sugar to the butter mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium until thick, smooth and creamy. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
• For the chocolate fudge frosting: Over a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the butter. Add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add the vanilla and instant coffee, if using, and stir until smooth. Makes about 3 cups.
• For the chocolate beet cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans with vegetable oil.
• In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar and 1/2 cup vegetable oil and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light pale yellow and fluffy.
• Melt the chocolate and remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over (not it) a pot of simmering water.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, and then add the beets and vanilla and mix. Slowly add the dry ingredients just until everything is incorporated. Put the batter in the prepared cake pans and bake until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Frost the cake between the layers with the penuche frosting and the outside of the cake with the chocolate fudge frosting.

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, toss beets with lemon juice; set aside. In a bowl, beat the eggs, butter, milk, honey and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in beet mixture., Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, in a bowl, beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar and salt. Spread over cooled cake. If desired, sprinkle with nuts.

GOLDEN BEET CAKE WITH THE BEST CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Cake
• Place rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Butter two 8"-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper rounds and butter parchment. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Transfer one third of almonds (½ cup) to a small bowl; set aside. Sprinkle coriander, cardamom, and fennel over remaining almonds on hot baking sheet and toss until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to another small bowl; set aside.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, and 2 Tbsp. cherry juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes (a whisk and a large bowl also work). Reduce speed to low and add half of dry ingredients; beat until mostly combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until just a few steaks of flour remain. Using a rubber spatula, fold in cherries, beets, and reserved spiced almonds until evenly distributed and any remaining flour streaks are incorporated. Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth surface.
• Bake cakes until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 40-45 minutes (cake will be well browned). Transfer pans to a wire rack and brush or drizzle 2 Tbsp. cherry juice over each cake. Let cakes cool 20 minutes in pans. Run a knife or small offset spatula around edges of cakes and invert onto rack. Peel away and discard parchment paper rounds. Turn cakes right side up and let cool completely. Do ahead: Cakes can be baked 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly and chill, or freeze up to 3 months.
• Frosting and assembly
• Whisk sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan to combine. Whisking constantly, pour in milk gradually to avoid lumps. Set over medium-high heat and cook, whisking often and scraping corners of pan, until mixture begins to thicken, about 4 minutes (slow bubbles will begin to form as the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan). Reduce heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute to cook off any floury taste. You should have a thick, glossy paste resembling rubber cement. Remove from heat and let cool, about 1½ hours. (If you're worried about floury lumps, pour hot mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pushing through with a heatproof rubber spatula.)
• Transfer sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With motor running, beat in vanilla extract and almond extract (if using) on medium speed, then add butter, a piece at a time, beating until combined after each addition before adding more; repeat process with cream cheese. Turn off mixer, scrape down sides of bowl, then beat frosting until fluffy and lump-free, about 4 minutes. (Cover and chill until cold if you'd like the frosting firm enough to pipe decorations onto the finished cake.)
• Place a cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Top with 1½ cups frosting and spread to edges in an even layer. Place second cake, bottom side up, on top. Scoop 1 cup frosting on top of second layer and spread over top and sides until entire cake is covered in a thin layer (if bits of cake are still showing through, that's fine; this is only your crumb coat). Chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day to firm up.
• Briefly beat remaining frosting to lighten, then scoop onto cake. Spread in an even layer across top and down sides of cake. Use an offset spatula or bench scraper to smooth sides and top. Sprinkle reserved toasted almonds in a cluster in the center of the cake. Do ahead: Sugar mixture can be made 3 days ahead; press plastic wrap or wax paper directly onto surface and chill. Let sit at room temperature 20 minutes before using. Frosting can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Beat to lighten before using, about 4 minutes.