Extreme Makeover: Beet Edition
This was so, so good!
Freedom Hall Chocolate Beet Cake
For the cake:
3 pounds beets
3 1/2 C all-purpose flour
4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground cinnamon
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs
2 1/2 C granulated sugar
1/4 C packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
1 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
For the glaze:
6 ounces semi-sweet or good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 T unsalted butter
1 T light corn syrup
3/4 C heavy cream
pinch of salt
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1. For the cake, wash and trim beets to within an inch of beet. Boil 'em until they're soft, about an hour. Let 'em cool, then rub off the peels. Cut peeled beets into large chunks, then food process them until they're smooth; about 5 minutes. Set aside 4 cups of beet puree.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt cloves and cinnamon.
3. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Let it cool.
4. Heat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack on the bottom third.
5. With an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat eggs and granulated sugar on a medium-low speed until combined. Beat in brown sugar until combined. Beat in vegetable oil. On low speed, beat in beet puree. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with melted chocolate. Then add the vanilla, beating until combined.
6. Pour batter into a 12-cup tube pan that has been non-stick sprayed.
7. Bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour 35 minutes. Let it cool on a rack, then invert onto a plate and remove cake. Cake will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap.
8. When ready to serve, make the glaze: Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Add the butter, corn syrup and cream; stir until smooth. Stir in the salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour glaze over cake; use a spatula if necessary to push glaze over sides of cake. Serve at room temperature.
(tube pan-shaped chocolate cake slathered with chocolate icing on a white plate)
(me, poised to carve a big chocolate cake, next to J and The Beetle)
(slice of cake on plate with frosting-y fork alongside)