Chocolate Beet Cake

The first time I baked this cake, my son loved its moistness, and he couldn’t even taste the beets.

PREP: 20 MIN. BAKE: 35 MIN. + COOLING MAKES: 15 SERVINGS

1 cup grated peeled uncooked beets (about 2 medium) 2 tsp. lemon juice

4 large eggs

1¹ ₄ cups butter, melted

¹ ₂ cup whole milk

2 Tbsp. honey 2 tsp. vanilla extract

2¹ ₂ cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar

¹ ₂ cup baking cocoa

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

FROSTING

3 oz. cream cheese, softened ¹₄ cup heavy whipping cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract

3³ ₄ cups confectioners’ sugar Dash salt

Chopped walnuts, optional

1. In a small bowl, toss beets with lemon juice; set aside. In a bowl, beat the eggs, butter, milk, honey and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in beet mixture.

2. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

3. For frosting, in a bowl, beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and salt. Spread over cooled cake. If desired, sprinkle with nuts.

1 PIECE 509 cal., 21g fat (12g sat. fat), 110mg chol., 534mg sod., 78g carb. (58g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g pro.