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Red Velvet Chocolate Beet Cake | Letty's Kitchen
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4 from 2 votes

Red Velvet Chocolate Beet Cake

Tender, moist, chocolatey and subtly red, this cake is a winner. Makes one (9-inch) cake, serves 12 to 16.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup organic cane sugar
  • ¾ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons light molasses
  • ½ cup grapeseed oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound red beets trimmed, peeled and grated (about 4 cups)

Chocolate Glaze:

  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • ½ cup coconut milk beverage
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Candied Beets for garnish:

  • 1 cup water
  • cup sugar
  • 1 red beet cut in 1/8-inch matchsticks

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush two 9-inch round pans with melted butter and dust lightly with flour, or spray generously with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
  • Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, over gently simmering water; upper pan should not touch water. Keep warm.
  • Whip the eggs, sugar, honey, and molasses with an electric mixer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is noticeably thicker. Add the oil, whipping until it is incorporated. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until well-mixed, stopping to scrape the bowl. Stir in the grated beets and mix well. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake until the center of the cakes spring back when touched with a finger, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely.

Chocolate glaze:

  • Melt the chocolate with the coconut milk and maple syrup in the top of a double boiler, over gently simmering water; upper pan should not touch water. Stir to make a smooth glaze. Remove from heat and let cool but do not let harden. You want it to be the consistency of spreadable frosting.

Candied Beets:

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in beet matchsticks. Reduce heat to very low and simmer until slightly translucent and most of the liquid reduces to a syrup, 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Arrange on a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. The beets will still be soft, but will harden when cool.

To assemble:

  • With a serrated knife, trim the dome from both cakes so they are flat, not rounded.
  • Put one of the cake layers on a cardboard circle or a flat serving plate. Spread some of the glaze about ¼-inch thick. Gently flatten the second cake layer on top.
  • Frost the sides and top of the cake with a thin layer of glaze. Refrigerate the cake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the remaining glaze in the top of a double boiler. Place over gently simmering water; the upper pan should not touch the water. Stir while heating, just until the glaze is about the consistency of heavy cream. Pour it evenly over the top of the cake; use a spatula to smooth out any glaze that runs down the side.
  • Decorate the glazed cake with the candied beets.