My Top Picks Winter Favorites

Beet Cake

Similar to carrot cake

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. beets (2 medium) to equal 2 cups shredded
  • 2/3 c. white sugar
  • 2/3 c. dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. canola oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 c. low-fat milk
  • 2-1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose white flour
  • 2 t. baking powder
  • 1 t. ground ginger
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 t. baking soda
  • 1/4 t. salt

Frosting

  • 2 t. grated orange rind
  • 1 t. vanilla
  • 8 oz. pkg. low-fat cream cheese
  • 3 c. sifted powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbls. finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Instructions

Peel beets using a vegetable peeler. Grate beets, or use a food processor to shred.

Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add beets, and beat well.

Combine dry ingredients and stir with a whisk. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour the batter into prepared pans, and sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks, remove from pans. Carefully peel off wax paper and cool completely on wire racks.

Frosting: Beat rind, vanilla and cream cheese with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat a low speed just until blended. Do not overbeat! You may need to add 1 Tbls. of milk to thin if needed.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting, and top with remaining cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle the walnuts over the top of the cake.

NOTE: Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.