Decadent Chocolate Beet Cake with Candied Pecans

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 medium beets
• 3/4 cup butter

  (= 1.5 sticks or 170g) at room temperature
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 50 g dark chocolate

  (I use 70% cocoa chocolate)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour

  sifted
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1.5 cups buttermilk
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• salt
• 2 tbsp beet puree (from above)
• 450 g cream cheese

  (16 oz)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• salt

Instructions

• 1 (This step can be done one or two days ahead of time). Preheat oven to 400°F
  (205°C). Clean the beets and wrap them in aluminum foil. Roast them until their
  knife-tender (about 1 hour), then allow them to cool.
• 2 Using a food processor or the fine side of a box grater, shred enough beet to
  yield about 1 cup. You want the pieces to be quite small, so don't be afraid to
  shred the beets quite finely.
• 3 Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
• 4 Line two round 8 or 9 inch cake (see note) tins with parchment paper and gently
  flour the sides.
• 5 Melt chocolate in a bain-marie (double-boiler) or in a bowl over hot water. Keep
  the chocolate warm, but don't allow it to scorch.
• 6 Use a hand or stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until
  very fluffy.
• 7 Beat in one egg at a time, then add vanilla, 3/4 cup (~180 g) shredded beets and
  melted chocolate.
• 8 Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (flour, baking soda, baking
  powder, salt, cocoa powder) and sift to aerate.
• 9 Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the beet mixture, a little bit at
  a time. Stop as soon as the batter is well-mixed and smooth. Spoon mixture into
  cake tins. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (about 30 minutes, but keep an
  eye on it as ovens can vary quite a bit), then cool
• 10 Spread the sugar evenly in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and heat on the stovetop
  over medium-high heat. Once the sugar darkens and begins to melt and bubble at
  the edges, add the vanilla, water, and salt to the pan. The caramel should
  sizzle dramatically. Once the mixture settles down a little, stir gently, and
  reduce the heat to a very low setting.
• 11 Stir in the pecan pieces, ensuring that they're completely covered in caramel.
  Remove the candied pecans from heat and spread them out on a large, flat,
  heat-proof surface (e.g. a baking tray). Once cooled, break the clumps into
  small bits with a knife or by hand (but be careful - the sugar can be quite
  sharp).
• 12 Either squeeze as much juice as you can from the reserved beet puree, or
  incorporate the puree itself if it's finely grated enough (but be careful if you
  plan to pipe the icing, as small pieces will stick in some tips).
• 13 Place the beet puree (or juice) in a large bowl along with the other frosting
  ingredients. Use a stand or hand mixer to whip until the icing is well combined
  and somewhat airy. Set aside to chill in the refrigerator.
• 14 If your cakes are a little domed, carefully slice off the rounded portion to
  make a flatter top.
• 15 Mix the candied pecans with about 3/4 cup of the frosting. Spread this over the
  first layer of cake, then place the second layer on top.
• 16 Frost the cake by spreading the frosting with a flat utensil, or if you prefer,
  by piping with a pastry bag. Serve immediately, or chill to set the frosting a
  bit more.

Nutrition Info