Dark Chocolate Beetroot Cake (Printable)

Moist and rich with beetroot and dark chocolate for a flavorful, healthy snack option.

# What you'll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil (sunflower or canola)
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Vegetables

10 - 1 1/2 cups cooked beetroot, finely grated or puréed (about 2 medium beets)

→ Chocolate

11 - 3 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa), melted and cooled

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar and eggs until the mixture is light in color and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
04 - Add vegetable oil and vanilla extract to the sugar and egg mixture, stirring until fully blended.
05 - Fold in the finely grated or puréed beetroot and melted dark chocolate until evenly distributed.
06 - Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the surface evenly.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
09 - Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's moist and tender without feeling heavy or overly complicated to make.
  • The beetroot adds natural sweetness and an unexpected earthiness that makes people ask what your secret is.
  • You get that feeling of sneaking vegetables into dessert and getting away with it.
02 -
  • The toothpick test is everything here—pull it out too early and you'll have gummy cake, pull it out too late and it becomes dry and cake-like rather than snack-cake tender.
  • Never use pickled beets no matter how desperate you are; the vinegar will throw off the balance and leave a sour aftertaste that fights the chocolate.
  • Melted chocolate must be cooled slightly before folding into the wet mixture, or it will seize up and create little chocolate chips instead of a smooth, integrated flavor.
03 -
  • Roasting fresh beetroots yourself takes a little longer but rewards you with deeper, sweeter flavor than pre-cooked ones from the store.
  • If you're making this gluten-free, use a 1:1 blend and add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder to help compensate for the structure that gluten usually provides.

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