Did you know that putting beets in chocolate cake is a thing? Apparently it’s a thing.

I wasn’t really sure how to feel about the idea, though. I’m not exactly a huge beet fan (although I reportedly loved them as a baby). But I figured it couldn’t possibly be as bad as that time I tried the black black bean chocolate cake recipe from Runner’s World.

 

Also, beets are a really pretty color. That’s enough of a reason for me.

 

Turns out, beets in chocolate cake is a good thing. Like, really good. This cake is awesome, and doesn’t taste like beets at all. I promise.

 

You could put frosting (or creme fraiche) on this, but it honestly doesn’t need it. Just a dusting of powdered sugar is enough. It’s super chocolatey, dense (in a good way) and moist, not too sweet — like a flourless chocolate cake.

It is a little labor intensive, and it creates a lot of dirty dishes. But it’s totally worth it. And if you want to put a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side, who am I to stop you?

Chocolate beet cake (Adapted just a bit from Food 52, makes a one-layer 8- or 9- inch round cake)
8 ounces fresh beets (this was about 3 ½ baby beets for me)
7 ounces good quality dark chocolate (at least 60 percent cacoa, but 70 percent is ideal. Chips are fine)
1/4 cup hot espresso (use strong coffee if you don’t have an espresso maker or time for a Starbucks run)
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
5 large eggs (You will have to separate them)
Scant 1 cup superfine sugar (regular granulated sugar is fine if you don’t have superfine)
Powdered sugar

Lightly butter an 8- or 9-inch springform cake pan and line the base with a circle of parchment paper. Heat the oven to 350 F.

Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Throw in the beets, whole and unpeeled (I cut most of the stems/leaves off first). Boil until the skins come off easily and the beets are tender. Drain them in a colander and run cold water over them, then peel, cut off the stem and root and slice/chop them into chunks.

Place the beet pieces in a food processor or blender and blend until pureed (it won’t get totally smooth, and that’s fine).

Break the dark chocolate into small pieces (if you’re not using chocolate chips) and place in a double boiler or large bowl over a pot of simmering (not boiling!) water. Don’t stir.

Start making the espresso/coffee. When the chocolate is almost melted, pour the hot espresso over it and stir quickly. (Keep the bowl/double boiler over the heat) Cut the butter into little pieces and add to the melted chocolate. Smush the butter down under the chocolate/espresso mixture as much as you can and leave on the heat to get soft.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa together into a small or medium bowl.

Separate the eggs and place the whites in a large mixing bowl. The yolks can go in a small bowl. Stir the yolks together.

Remove the chocolate from the stove and stir it until the butter/everything is melted. Let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the egg yolks (quickly!) until they’re totally blended into the mixture.

If the chocolate/yolk mixture is in a small bowl or small double boiler, use a spatula to scrape it into a large bowl. Fold in the beet puree.

Beat or whisk the egg whites until they’re stiff (or at least close), then add the sugar and beat for a few more seconds to combine.

Fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture – I used a spatula, but apparently a large metal spoon might be better. Try not to over mix! Once the mixture looks well combined, fold in the sifted flour-cooca mixture.

Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Place the cake pan in the oven and turn the heat down to 325 F. Bake for about 40 minutes. The middle of the cake should still be a little jiggly. Stick a toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cake. If it comes out with wet cake batter on it, the cake isn’t done. If it just has some crumbs on it, that’s good.

Let the cake cool for about a half hour. Then, loosen it from the sides of the pan with a frosting spatula or dull side of a butter knife. The cake will have sunken in the middle. Do not panic!

Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan (it is very moist, so it may not hold together if you remove it before this). Dust the top with a bit of powdered sugar and then serve!