I know what you’re thinking.

How in the world do beets and avocados taste good in a chocolate cake?!  Not to mention it’s gluten free, which might turn some of you away right now (if you’ve ever had a gluten-free baked good gone wrong).

Not to worry my friend – I’ve tested this delicious recipe and tweaked it myself.  After all, my birthday is coming up and a good chocolate cake is the best birthday dessert!

On top of that, my husband was the final test.  He loves desserts, but he was skeptical of my creation… until he took a bite.

“This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had – are there seriously beets and avocados in here?!”

Ready to give it a try?  Beet are a highly nutritious root vegetable, as a rich source of B-complex vitamins such as niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, and minerals such as iron, manganese, copper, and magnesium.  Avocados are rich in the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, as well as potassium, lutein, and folate.  They’re loaded with fiber, and the creamy texture is the perfect topping to this decadent chocolate cake!

Chocolate Beet Cake with Fudgy Avocado Frosting

Yields: an 8-inch 2-layer cake with about 1.5 cups of frosting

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

• 2 medium beets
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
• ¾ cups almond flour
• 1 cup raw cacao powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of sea salt

For the frosting:

• 2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
• ¾ cup raw cashews (+ 1/3 cup water)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
• Pinch of sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Roast the beets:

• Preheat oven to 400. Chop the stems off your beets. Scrub clean. Roast in a baking dish covered in tin foil until a knife slides easily to the center of the beet, 60-75 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Once cooled, cut the beets into chunks and place in the bowl of a food processor. Puree, scraping down the sides as necessary. You may have to add a bit of water to encourage the beets to puree. Scoop out 1 cup of puree for this recipe – the rest is leftover.

Make the cake:

• Lower oven temp to 350 degrees F. Coat two 8-inch cake pans with coconut oil.
• Whisk together coconut milk and ground flaxseed. Let sit about 5 minutes to thicken.
• To the coconut milk mixture, add 1 cup of beet puree, coconut sugar, and coconut oil. Beat with a hand mixer for about 30 seconds.
• Add remaining dry ingredients – flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Beat again to mix together.
• Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake at 350 until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean – about 30-35 minutes.
• Remove and cool completely in the pans on wire racks. Run a knife around the edge of the cake pan before inverting the cake to remove from the pan (Be sure you allow the cakes to cool completely before removing, or they will not hold together!)

Make the frosting and assemble the cake:

Soak cashews in enough water to cover them for 4 hours or overnight.  Drain, rinse, and add to food processor. Scoop out the flesh of the avocados and place in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and puree again, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Place the first layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Smooth on half of the frosting, and top with the second cake layer. Smooth on remaining frosting and add cacao nibs, coconut, or whatever topping you like.  Serve or refrigerate overnight and enjoy!

Cake recipe adapted from Coffee and Quinoa