Chocolate Beet Cake with Ganache
This chocolate cake is so delicious and despite my selfish desire to have the beet flavor shine through, it is so subtle, it just leaves a super-rich and moist cake that everyone, no matter their feelings about beets, will love. Plus, it is so gorgeous. Once you try it, you'll go in for seconds.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened plus more for the pan
- 3 large (baseball-size) red beets about 1½ pounds trimmed, to make 2 cups (480ml) puree
- 1/4 tsp salt plus more for cooking the beets
- 2 1/4 cups (450g) sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (80g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
Ganache
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 6 oz (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
To Decorate
- Chocolate curls see tips in blog post above
- Beet Root Powder (optional) I found it at my local co-op in the bulk section
Instructions
Cake
- Set an oven rack to the center rack and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a 9 x 13-inch Rectangular Cake Pan (or two 8 x 3-Inch Cake Pan), line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease the paper with butter.
- In a large saucepan, cover the beets with water, lightly salt it, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook until a paring knife easily slips into a beet, 30 to 50 minutes (or longer if necessary), depending on size and freshness of beets. Let rest in the hot water for 10 minutes, drain, and cover with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slip the skins off the beets under the water (which will lessen any hand staining) and cut into chunks. Place in a food processor and process until very smooth. Measure out 2 cups of the puree and set aside until cooled.
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the sour cream. Add the beet puree and vanilla and mix well. It will look curdled and very pink at this point. Don’t worry!
- In a large bowl, sift together the cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixer in two additions and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold a few times to make sure it is thoroughly mixed.
- Spread evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Peel off the paper and invert onto a serving platter.
Ganache
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming and bubbling around the edges. Place the chocolate in a small bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Add the butter and corn syrup. Wait 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Stir occasionally until it has cooled to a good spreading consistency, then spread over the top of the cake, not quite to the edges.
- Immediately top with chocolate curls and use a small sieve to lightly dust with beet powder (if using).