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5.0 from 3 votes

Moist Chocolate Beet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is one deep, dark, super moist chocolate cake! Studded with plenty of roasted beets, and frosted with delicious cream cheese frosting, this cake is sure to impress! No worries, you won't taste beets in this cake; it'll taste like a superbly yummy, tender chocolate cake.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 384 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Cake:
  • 2 large beets unpeeled but trimmed of their greens
  • 6 ounces salted butter or 3/4 cups, softened, plus more for greasing
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 TB instant coffee granules decaf is fine
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting the pans
  • ⅔ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
For the Frosting:
  • ½ cup salted butter softened
  • 8 ounces whole cream cheese softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons beets roasted, finely grated, mashed with a fork
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Roast the beets ahead of time: Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wrap beets individually in foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Open the foil and allow beets to cool completely. Peel when cool. Grate the roasted beets on the finest grating plane. Measure 3/4 cup of grated beets for the cake and 2 tablespoons for the frosting. Set aside.
  2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Generously butter two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans. Trace parchment paper to fit bottom of the cake pans. Press parchment paper circles into bottom of pan and butter the parchment paper. Flour the bottoms and sides of pans and shake out the excess. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in coffee granules and vanilla and mix until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Once eggs are incorporated, beat in beets until combined.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture. Beating on Low, slowly add the buttermilk. Once just incorporated, add the other half of the dry ingredients. Beat on Low until ingredients are almost incorporated. Do not overmix the batter. Remove bowl from stand and use rubber spatula to gently fold ingredients to finish incorporating. Cake batter will be thick.
  6. Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes (for a 9-inch pan) or 30-32 minutes (for an 8-inch pan). Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few tender crumbs attached - not completely clean. Set cakes on wire rack and cool completely in pans. Invert cakes onto serving platter before frosting and assembling the cake.
While cakes cool, make the Frosting:
  1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese for 30 seconds, until smooth. Add the butter and beat for another 30 seconds, until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl as necessary. Beat in the beets. Add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt. Beat on medium speed until smooth and silky. If needed, add another 1/2 cup powdered sugar and mix. Cover and chill.
  2. To assemble the cake: place one layer of cake on a cake stand or cake plate. Top with a generous amount of frosting. Place the other cake on top of the frosting. Top with frosting. Cover and chill before serving, as frosting will get too soft if it's warm. Leftover frosted cake can be covered and chilled for up to 3 days. May also freeze leftovers in airtight container.

Notes

  • Beets can be roasted 2-3 days ahead of time and kept in fridge until ready to use. 
  • If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ❤️

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 384kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 78g (26%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 21g (32%) Saturated Fat 13g (65%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 6g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 81mg (27%) Sodium 499mg (21%) Potassium 98mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 32g (64%) Vitamin A 672IU (13%) Vitamin C 0.1mg (0%) Calcium 78mg (8%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 384

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 384kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 78g 26%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 13g 65%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 499mg 21%
Potassium 98mg 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 32g 64%
Vitamin A 672IU 13%
Vitamin C 0.1mg 0%
Calcium 78mg 8%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.