Chocolate Beet Cake

Earthy-sweet beet purée gives this gluten-free chocolate cake a red velvet hue but also lends so much buttery moistness that you'd never guess the cake is dairy-free as well. Add this healthy recipe to your diet!

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 4 medium beets, scrubbed
• 4 pieces mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup pHresh Certified Organic Cacao Powder, plus more for pan
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. virgin coconut oil, plus more for pan
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
• 1 tsp. Sea salt

Glaze:

• 4 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt
• A pinch of pHresh Superblends (for serving)

Instructions:

FOR THE CAKE:

1. Cook beets in a medium pot of boiling unsalted water until tender, 30–40 minutes, depending on size. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Cut off the stem end, then peel and cut beets into large pieces. Transfer to a blender and add 2 Tbsp. water. Blend, adding water 1 tbsp. at a time as needed, until a smooth purée forms — it should be the consistency of mashed bananas. Measure out 1 cup purée (reserve remaining purée for another use, such as blending into a smoothie).
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the bottom of a 9" round cake pan with parchment. Grease with oil, then dust with Cacao Powder, tapping out excess.
3. Whisk almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and remaining ½ cup pHresh Certified Organic Cacao Powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
4. Heat chocolate and remaining 2 tbsp. oil in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until melted. Remove bowl from heat. Stir in vinegar, vanilla, and reserve 1 cup beet purée until smooth.
5. Mix mashed bananas, cane sugar, and salt in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed (or use an electric mixer and large bowl) until more than tripled in volume and mixture holds a ribbon for several seconds when the beater is lifted above batter, 5–7 minutes. Thoroughly beating the eggs is key to creating an aerated, light crumb and is a critical step when using gluten-free ingredients.
6. Pour chocolate-beet mixture into the egg mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Turn the mixer off and gently tip in reserved dry ingredients. Beat on lowest speed, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined.
7. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed, 45–50 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan, then invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool. 

FOR THE GLAZE:

1. Heat chocolate, oil, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until chocolate is melted. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and cool enough to touch, 10–15 minutes.
2. Place a rack with cake on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over the center of the cake to cover the top, tilting the baking sheet slightly to encourage a few drips to run over the sides of the cake. Sprinkle with pHresh Superblends. Let sit at room temperature until glaze is set, 2–3 hours.

***Do Ahead: Cake (without any sprinkled pHresh Superblends) can be glazed 2 days ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

You can try this palatable recipe on any occasion! Never miss the fun while doing this with your kids, family, or loved ones!

Enjoy the perfect combined health benefits of our two superfood powders — pHresh Superblends and pHresh Certified Organic Cacao Powder!