Beet Bundt Cake

From the kitchen of Carly

Deep, fudgy beet cake with melted chocolate stirred into the batter. The beets add moisture and earthiness while brown sugar brings richness. One bowl, minimal fuss, and a beautiful marbled crumb that needs nothing but a dusting of powdered sugar.

Beet Bundt Cake

Red beets add a subtle earthiness and natural sweetness that melted chocolate amplifies rather than fights. The result is a moist, tender Bundt cake with almost hidden depth, where the beet purée keeps things tender and the dark brown sugar rounds everything out. Dust it with confectioners' sugar and you've got a cake that tastes richer than it is.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/2 cupcanola oil
  • 1 1/2 cuppacked dark brown sugar
  • 2 cuppuréed cooked red beets
  • 1/2 cupnondairy semisweet chocolate chips, melted
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 2 cupall-purpose flour
  • 2 tspbaking powder
  • 1/4 tspsalt
  • 1"Confectioners sugar
  • 1for dusting"

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5) and lightly oil a Bundt pan.

  2. Beat the canola oil and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl until combined, then add the beet purée, melted chocolate chips, and vanilla. Mix until everything is well incorporated.

  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl, then tip the dry mixture into the beet mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

  4. Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

  5. Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely, then dust generously with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Purée your beets while they're still warm (boiled or steamed) for the smoothest texture, then let them cool before adding to the batter so they don't cook the eggs or seize the chocolate.
  • Use nondairy chocolate chips specifically, not regular ones, since dairy can sometimes break when mixed into acidic beet batter. Melt them gently and add while still warm for better integration.
  • Don't overmix once you add the dry ingredients. Beet batters are delicate, and overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake dense instead of tender.
  • Check doneness at 40 minutes with a toothpick, since oven temperatures vary and overbaking dries out this naturally moist cake.

Variations

  • Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom to the dry ingredients for a warmth that reads almost mysterious.
  • Swap half the chocolate chips for cocoa powder mixed into the wet ingredients for a lighter chocolate presence and deeper color.
  • Use golden beets instead of red for a sweeter, more delicate flavor and paler crumb.
  • Top with a vegan cream cheese frosting instead of confectioners' sugar for richness that matches the cake.

Make ahead and storage

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months, wrapped well. Thaw at room temperature before serving.