After a summer filled with bright, fruity, and light treats, I had a hankering for something more. The nights are getting cooler, and I’m almost ready for the warm comfort foods of fall and winter. Late summer harvest means some heartier fruits and vegetables are finding a temporary home in my kitchen. The last few weeks, I’ve been up to my ears (I’m not alone here) in zucchini. Now, raspberries and beets are making an appearance.
A slice of cake to celebrate the end of summer.
Depending on your location, you might have to wait on those beets a bit longer. Either way, I know the question “what should I do with these beets?” will be asked in quite a few households across the world. You might preserve pickled beets, prepare a beet hash for eggs or steaks, or maybe try a new trendy beet salad. I’ll bet my bottom dollar that most of you won’t think, “beet chocolate cake.” The idea stems from the classic red velvet cake, as the traditional method was to use beet juice for the red coloring. As it turns out, the flesh of the beetroot proves that it should be a star in the cake as well. Making the cake moist, interesting and rich. I almost wish I never made a chocolate cake without it.
Raspberries lend a fresh and brightening hand, raising the bar for chocolate cakes everywhere. I also use avocado to replace the fat in the frosting. If you’re not lucky enough to be near avocado growing weather (I am in sunny Southern California) then, you can use any frosting or glaze you fancy.
I use coconut and almond flours in this cake, to please the many Americans going grain-free, and to make it available to those sensitive to gluten. It’s also free of refined sugars and gets its sweetness from raw honey and pure maple syrup. Some might think of that as extreme, I like to think of it as making extremely good use of my late summer harvest. After all, beetroot and raspberries are really the stars of the show here.
Oh wait, did I mention that it is densely and deliciously packed with healthy dark chocolate? That’s right. As if the abundant tastiness from your garden isn’t enough, I added a hefty amount of chocolate. It’s sure to cure the most serious of chocolate cravings. Let’s all have a slice of cake to celebrate the end of summer, shall we?
Beetroot and Raspberry Chocolate Cake
For the cake:
2 beetroots, cooked and grated with a cheese grater
4 eggs
1/2 cup olive or coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 cups almond milk (can sub regular milk)
For the frosting:
1 avocado
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1/4 cup almond milk
1 cup fresh raspberries
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease 2 round 8-inch cake pans with coconut oil or butter; set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the honey, oil, eggs, vanilla and almond milk.
In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder with a whisk. Make sure the mixture is thoroughly mixed and all one color. Stir in the grated beetroot.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon, until thoroughly combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes.
While the cake is baking, make the frosting. Combine all ingredients, except for the almond milk, with a hand mixer on medium-high until smooth and free of lumps. Then, add the almond milk and mix until smooth.
Divide the frosting in half into two separate bowls. In one bowl, mix in the fresh raspberries.
Once the cakes are baked and they have cooled in the pans completely, turn one cake out onto your cake plate. Top with the raspberry frosting.
Turn out the second cake on top of the raspberry frosting and top the cake with the remaining frosting. Let stand or chill in the refrigerator until set.
Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
