Chocolate Beet Cake

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Rich dark chocolate cake, full of antioxidants and nutrients, slathered in chocolate ganache.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Paisley Farms, but the opinions are all my own. Thank you for supporting the companies and products that make An Affair from the Heart possible.

Chocolate Beet Cake

Crazy right??

Well you all thought I was nuts when I put sauerkraut in chocolate cake, too, and look at how many of you have tried it and LOVED it!

Chocolate Beet Cake

This cake though, is totally different.

This dark chocolate cake is springy and moist, similar to a snack cake.  Top it with a thick layer of chocolate ganache, and chill it in the fridge before serving.

Adding beets to desserts isn’t anything new.  By doing so, you have added a whole new dimension of nutrition.  Nutrients and antioxidants make chocolate cake HEALTHY?? YES!

sweet-pickled-beet-chocolate-cake

“Beets are unique in their rich combination of betalain pigments. … Beets are also an excellent source of folate and a very good source of manganese, potassium and copper. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron and vitamin B6.”  (www.whfoods.com)

Some people may think, me included until I tried it, that the taste of the cake would change.  You know, putting a root vegetable like beets into something sweet, HAS to change the flavor, right?  It didn’t.  Actually, using beets in chocolate flavored desserts makes good sense.

“Beets are most commonly used in chocolate desserts because they add moisture, yet the cocoa powder and chocolate mask any possible subtle earthy flavor.” (www.thekitchn.com)

Chocolate Beet Cake

When my friends at Paisley Farms asked me to develop a couple of new recipes for them, using their Sweet Pickled Beets, I jumped at the chance! I knew that over the years I had seen many people using beets in dessert recipes.  and what’s better for the holidays then a rich dark chocolate cake??

We can save the salads for January, right?

Chocolate Beet Cake

I started researching recipes.  Most of them had roasted fresh beets in them.  Well, I didn’t have to go to all of that work, I just opened a jar of Paisley Farms Sweet Pickled Beets.

Paisley Farms Sweet Pickled Beets have been a favorite for years. They make a colorful addition to any dinner table, made with just the right hint of cinnamon. Irresistible right out of the jar, or use them in salads OR even CHOCOLATE CAKE!

Chocolate Beet Cake

Many of the recipes I investigated simply just dusted the cake with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Beet Cake

I went one better with this cake and slathered it in my favorite Chocolate Ganache.

Think rich, dark chocolate snack cake.

Chocolate Beet Cake

Then grab a fork, and maybe a glass of milk, and DIG IN.

Close up of cake on a white serving plate with text "Chocolate Beet Cake"
4.45 from 20 votes
Print Recipe

Chocolate Beet Cake

Rich dark chocolate cake, full of antioxidants and nutrients, slathered in chocolate ganache.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate Beet Cake
Servings: 9 x13
Calories: 401kcal
Author: Michaela Kenkel

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 6 Tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil + 2 Tablespoons
  • 1 1/2 cups pureed Paisley Farms Sweet Pickled Beets about half of a 35.5 ounce jar drain before pureeing.
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
  • For the Chocolate Ganache:
  • 8 ounces of semi sweet chocolate (I have used squares and chips)
  • 1/2 cup of cream
  • 1 teaspoon of instant coffee or 1 Tablespoon of rum or whiskey

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Sift together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Puree drained beets. Set aside
  • In the bowl of a mixer, combine together oil, sugar and eggs. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  • Add in vanilla and pureed beets. Mix to incorporate.
  • Gradually add in dry ingredients, mixing to combine.
  • Pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cake tests done in the center with a toothpick.
  • Cool in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit over night before adding chocolate ganache.
  • To prepare ganache: In a saucepan over low heat, add chocolate and cream. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, add in rum or whiskey with a whisk. Pour over cake, spread and place in the fridge to chill.
  • We served it cold.

Notes

Cake will sit overnight and be ready to eat the next day.[br]Recipe adapted from food.com

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 224mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g

We love the organic foods of Paisley Farms!

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Here is a Five Bean Chicken Chili Recipe I made for Paisley Farms using their delicious Five Bean Salad.

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17 Comments

  1. oohhh I’m so going to try this – it looks amazing and I’d love to feed it to my boys for a dessert I don’t feel guilty about!

  2. Beets and Chocolate are two of my favorite foods; why I never thought of this combination before is completely beyond me; what an amazing looking treat! Thanks for sharing!!

  3. This looks delicious and moist. When I saw this on Facebook, I thought it would be just roasted beets, and them I was surprised to find it was pickled beets. After I thought about it a bit, it totally makes sense. I make a vegan chocolate cake (which is what this is if you leave off the ganache), and it’s the reaction of the vinegar with the baking powder that gives it the rise. I totally have to try this!

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