Name: Beet Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 20 servings
Ingredients: 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped; 1 cup butter, softened, divided; 1-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar; 3 eggs; 2 cups pureed cooked beets; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; Confectioners' sugar

Dark brown sugar, semisweet chocolate and a whole lot of beets come together to make a surprisingly luscious beet cake with a deeply complex crumb.

Ingredients

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup butter, softened, divided

1-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

3 eggs

2 cups pureed cooked beets

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1 Melt the chocolate and butter

2 Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a microwave, melt the chocolate and 1/4 cup of the butter, then stir until they're smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly.

3 Cream the butter and sugar

4 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream the remaining butter and the brown sugar until they're light and fluffy.

5 Add the eggs. Beat the mixture until it's homogeneous.

6 Combine the chocolate mixture and beets

7 Add the chocolate mixture, beets and vanilla to a small bowl. Whisk them to combine. Beat this mixture into the creamed mixture. (They will appear separated when combined.)

8 Add the dry ingredients

9 Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add them to the creamed mixture. Whisk the mixture to combine.

10 Bake the cake

11 Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10-inch fluted tube pan. Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Before serving, dust the beet cake with confectioners' sugar.