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Small Batch Chocolate Beet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Small Batch Chocolate Beet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Chelsea Colbath
A simple, small-batch cupcake recipe that blends the earthy flavors of chocolate and beets with a beet-dyed pink frosting to make a fun cake for celebrating any of life's little milestones.
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TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons white whole wheat flour can sub all-purpose if desired
  • 1/4 cup organic cane sugar sucanat and coconut sugar work, too
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup beet puree from 1 medium or 2 small cooked beets*
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 Tablespoons milk of choice coconut, almond, cow's, etc- they all work
  • 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil olive oil, or melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons shredded beets raw or cooked beets both work here
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • a pinch of salt
  • a handful of fresh berries for topping (optional)

Instructions
 

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 6 muffin cups with nonstick spray or line with paper cupcake liners.
  • 2. Put all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and whisk to combine. If your beets are already pureed, add all wet ingredients to the dry and whisk to combine. If your beets are whole, first puree them in a food processor before measuring out 1/2 cup of beet puree and adding it to the dry mix with all reaming cupcake ingredients.
  • 3. Use a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup to portion the batter into the muffin cups. You should get between 6 and 8 cupcakes. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
  • 4. While cupcakes bake, make frosting. Put shredded beets in a small bowl, and add heavy cream. Let the beets steep in the cream for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the frosting.
  • 5. Put cream cheese in a stand mixer with the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Strain the cream through a fine mesh strainer (it should be pink by now) and pour the cream into the cream cheese. Whisk on high for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and salt, and whisk again to combine. Taste and add more powdered sugar, if desired. Transfer frosting to the fridge to chill while the cupcakes cool. The frosting will be soft, but shouldn't be liquid-y, and will firm up more as it chills.
  • 6. When cupcakes are cool, add a heaping spoonful of frosting to each, and gently flatten. Top with berries, if desired. Eat immediately.

Notes

Instead of cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in an 8-inch round pan for a single-layer cake. Baking time should be the same, or up to 5 minutes longer.
This frosting is not thick enough to pipe, and I wouldn't recommend using it for a layer cake, as it's a bit soft. I tested the frosting with honey instead of powdered sugar, but it was too loose. Two tablespoons of coconut flour and 30-minutes in the fridge will thicken it up nicely, and make a fluffy, spreadable frosting. If you're interested in that version of the recipe, follow the instructions as written, adding in honey and coconut flour after you've whipped the cream and cream cheese together.
Adapted from Edible Perspective Chocolate Almond Meal Cake