Low Fat Vegan Chocolate Beet Cake

I will spare you, dear reader, any of the dozens of beet related puns that spring to mind when I think of this recipe. Forget what you know about beets and chocolate cake. Leave those preconceptions at your oven door. This is an amazing cake that's going straight into my regular circulation.

When I first heard the words "chocolate beet cake", I was intrigued. I like chocolate. I like beets. Who knew they could go together? But they do! The result is a deeply chocolately cake, rich in antioxidants and fiber. Eating vegetables has never been so fun. I adapted this recipe from Fat Free Vegan, just for maximum weirdness.

I made a few changes to the recipe. First, I diced my beets small and roasted them. A boiled vegetable just seems like a wasted opportunity. Roast those beets and give the natural sugars a chance to caramelize. It's worth the extra step. Second, I was short by about a quarter cup of applesauce and I wasn't in the mood to grab another jar from the pantry, so I did end up using an egg. (If you didn't know, pureed fruit will substitute for eggs in most cakes) So this was not an entirely vegan cake. It should work just fine without the egg though. I also used half a cup of brown sugar, where the original calls for only white. I like the flavor of brown sugar.  The cinnamon is a fantastic addition to the cake. I think the next time I make this, I will also add a spoonful of chili powder. That, combined with the dark chocolate cocoa powder I used, makes an almost Mexican hot chocolate tasting cake. (Which makes me wonder how a slice would taste with dulce de leche drizzled over the top. I may have to try this. )

2 large beets (diced and roasted until fork tender and the edges are brown)
unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Puree roasted beets in your food processor. Add applesauce to make two cups total puree. Add vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar and sugars. Pulse to combine. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine wet and dry together. Pour into greased, parchment lined cake pan. Give it a few good drops on the counter top to knock all the air bubbles out of the batter. Bake on center rack for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.