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Recipe Detail Page
Natural Red Velvet Chocolate Cake with Beets
Autumn 2013
Beets enhance both the chocolate flavour and colour, yet there is no beet taste. The origin of the red velvet term is disputed, however such a cake was once available in the bakery of the now defunct Eaton’s department store in Toronto. A distinctive garnish is beet chips from a bag of Terra Chips vegetable chips where the slight saltiness and crispy texture is a good foil for the cake’s sweetness.
Makes 8 to 12 servings
2 eggs
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups (330 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) milk
¾ cup (175 mL) puréed or finely shredded cooked beets, about 3 medium (see TIP)
½ cup (125 mL) strong coffee
2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
1½ tsp (7 mL) pure vanilla
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (150 mL) unsweetened cocoa
1½ tsp (7 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) icing sugar
1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2 Coat bottom and sides of a 10-inch (25-cm) round springform pan with nonstick spray or use additional butter to grease.
3 Place unbroken eggs in a small bowl. Cover with hot tap water; set aside to temper until needed. When ready to use, drain eggs; discard water.
4 Thoroughly cream butter with electric beaters in a large bowl; slowly add granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, until fluffy. In another bowl, stir milk with beets, coffee, lemon juice and vanilla. In another bowl, sift (or rub together through a strainer) flour with cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5 Using a rubber spatula, alternately stir into butter mixture a third of flour mixture and half of milk combination, repeating and ending with final third of flour mixture. Stir until most lumps are gone. Turn batter into prepared dish; smooth top.
6 Bake in centre of preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into layer centre comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; then remove sides, leaving cake on rack to complete cooling.
7 Once cool, lift cake onto serving platter. At serving time, place icing sugar in a small fine sieve and dust cake top. Garnish each serving with vegetable chips, if desired. Cake keeps well for a day or 2 and freezes well.
Makes 8 to 12 servings
TIP Cook beets whole and unpeeled to retain their colour. Whether simmered in water to cover or roasted sealed in foil in a 350°F (180°C) oven, beets take about an hour to become tender. Remove individual beets as they become tender. Cool and peel.
