An Extremely Moist Chocolate Beet Cake With Crème Fraîche And Poppy Seeds Food

THE VERY BEST, MOST DELICIOUS AND MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE YOU'LL EVER TASTE (WITH A SURPRISE INGREDIENT: BEETS)!

Steps:

• Prepare two, 8″ or 9″ baking pans (or one, 9×13″); butter and flour them well.
• Puree the beets in a food processor along with the eggs, vanilla, oil and the sugar.
• In a large bowl, place the dry ingredients, then add the pureed mixture.
• Beat with an electric or stand mixer on low speed until well combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done a a tester (or skewer) comes out clean.
• Remove from pans after a few minutes and allow to cool completely on racks.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream frosting by beating the butter until soft, then adding the sugar, cocoa, 1/4 cup (2 oz) coffee and salt, and mixing until creamy and smooth. Continue to add more coffee until a soft, spreadable, or pipable consistency is reached.
• Cut the tops off the cake to make them level, you can see photos on this post. Place one layer of the moist chocolate cake on a serving plate and spread some buttercream on top.
• Place the second layer on top and decorate as desired with the frosting and other decorations, if desired (I put some almond crunch pieces on the sides.)

MOIST CHOCOLATE-BEET CAKE

Steps:

• Butter an 8 or 8 1/2 inch (20 cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Boil the beets in salted water with the lid askew until they're very tender when you stick a knife in them about 45 minutes. Drain then rinse the beets with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slip off the peels, cut the beets into chunks, and grind them in a food processor until you get a coarse, yet cohesive, puree. (If you don't have a food processor, use a cheese grater.)
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
• In a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring as little as possible. Once it's nearly all melted, turn off the heat (but leave the bowl over the warm water), pour in the hot espresso and stir it once. Then add the butter. Press the butter pieces into the chocolate and allow them to soften without stirring.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
• Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and stir until the butter is melted. Let sit for a few minutes to cool, then stir the egg yolks together and briskly stir them into the melted chocolate mixture. Fold in the beets.
• In a stand mixer, or by hand, whip the egg whites until stiff. Gradually fold the sugar into the whipped egg whites with a spatula, then fold them into the melted chocolate mixture, being careful not to overmix.
• Fold in the flour and cocoa powder.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and reduce the heat of the oven to 325ºF (160ºC), and bake the cake for 40 minutes, or until the sides are just set but the center is still is just a bit wobbly. Do not overbake.
• Let cake cool completely, then remove it from the pan.

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE

Steps:

• For the penuche frosting: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir until the brown sugar is dissolved. Make sure to not scrape the sides of the pan. Add the half-and-half and bring to a boil for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Gradually add the confectioners' sugar to the butter mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium until thick, smooth and creamy. Makes 3 to 4 cups.
• For the chocolate fudge frosting: Over a double boiler or in the microwave, melt the butter. Add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add the vanilla and instant coffee, if using, and stir until smooth. Makes about 3 cups.
• For the chocolate beet cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans with vegetable oil.
• In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar and 1/2 cup vegetable oil and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light pale yellow and fluffy.
• Melt the chocolate and remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over (not it) a pot of simmering water.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, and then add the beets and vanilla and mix. Slowly add the dry ingredients just until everything is incorporated. Put the batter in the prepared cake pans and bake until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
• Frost the cake between the layers with the penuche frosting and the outside of the cake with the chocolate fudge frosting.

BEST MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.