This month's challenge was really fun!!!
Ruth from Makey-Cakey was our March 2013 challenge host. She encouraged us all to get experimental in the kitchen and sneak some hidden veggies into our baking, with surprising and delicious results!
I decided that I wanted to base my recipe off of a red velvet cake that I had seen with beets in it. However, when I looked at the recipe, I thought it would be a little on the chocolate-y side, so I figured that I'd just turn it into a fudge cake. I then topped the cake with a not-too-sweet italian meringue buttercream! We even sent a couple of slices over to some friends of ours, and no one guessed that there were beets in the cake!!
(lovely decoration by my sister!)
Anyway, this was a really fun challenge and a really yummy cake!!!
Chocolate Beet Cake
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup pureed beets (one large beet was enough for me....I roasted it in the oven for about 30 minutes, in a dish with about 1/3 cup of water, then I just chopped it and blended until smooth)
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 tsp vinegar (I used apple cider)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour (the original recipe called for 3/4c but I found the batter to be a bit thin)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.
- Stir together all of the wet ingredients and add the dry ingredients about 1/3 at a time, stirring after each addition.
- Pour into a greased 9 in cake pan and bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the cake tests done in the center. Remove and let cool completely before icing.
Italian Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup room temperature sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Once it boils, stop stirring and insert a candy thermometer.
- While syrup is cooking, whip egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer to soft peaks. When the syrup reaches 238-240 degrees, pour into the egg whites with the mixer on medium speed.
- Increase speed to high and beat until room temperature.
- Add the butter 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time until it is all incorporated. I used the whole cup, but I think that 3/4 of a cup would work just as well and maybe the icing would hold up a bit better.
- Add vanilla, increase speed and beat until completely smooth.
- Refrigerate the icing while the cake is cooling.
Again, this was such a fun challenge and I have truly enjoyed being a part of the Daring Bakers!!
