Chocolate beet Cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
4 medium beets, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Candied beet chips (to the right)
​Chocolate Glaze (also to the right)

  1. Cover beets with 2 inches water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and then Puree beets in a food processor until smooth.

  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, water, oil, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cups beet puree (save the remaining puree for another use).

  3. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan (3 inches deep) with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment, and coat with spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Turn out cake from pan, and discard parchment. Let cool completely, right side up.

  4. Trim top of cake using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Transfer cake, cut side down, to a platter. Pour chocolate glaze over the top, and let set, about 30 minutes. Garnish with beet chips.
         Candied Beet Chips
         4 baby beets
         1 1/2 cups water
         1/2 sugar
  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Slice beets very thinly into rounds, preferably on a mandolin. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Add beets. Reduce heat, and simmer until slightly translucent, about 30 minutes.

  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beets in a single layer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Bake until dry and slightly firm, about 1 hour.
       
       Chocolate Glaze 
       1/2 cup heavy cream
       3/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
       3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

       Bring heavy cream and corn syrup to a          gentle simmer in a small saucepan. Pour        over chocolate in a bowl, and let stand          for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate melts            and mixture is shiny and smooth. Let              cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Use                immediately.