Bonus Cake - Red Devil Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

After the frustration of the Orange Layer Fairy Cake, I realized that after just four new recipes, I was already feeling uncertain.  Rather than break with my challenge to make a new cake each week, I decided I would add an additional familiar cake.  My go-to chocolate cake is one from Moosewood that calls for beets in the batter.  The cake is easy to make, consistent, and with a cream cheese frosting, is pretty beloved by all who have tasted it.  With choosy kids, this cake is a sure fire winner – or at least with my choosy kids it always has been.  My son even likes to brag to dinner guests that the cake has beets, so it’s a little bit healthy!  I served it along with Cake #5 – Strawberry Country Cake – at a dinner party.  Adults had strawberry cake, kids had chocolate cake, and then some adults had an extra serving so they could taste the chocolate cake too.  (Even people who hate beets, like this cake.)

Red Devil Cake

15-ounce can sliced beets

3 eggs

1½ cups sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups unbleached white flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1.       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Generously oil the 9-inch square or round baking pan.  (I think I usually line the bottom with a round of parchment to insure it comes out easily.)  I’ve used two eight-inch round pans to create two thinner layers.

2.       Drain the beets, reserving ½ cup of the juice.  In a blender, puree the beets with the reserved juice to make about 1 ¼ cups of puree.  Set aside.

3.       In a large bowl, beat the eggs well.  Thoroughly whisk in the sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, and beet puree until very smooth.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, whisking until smooth.

4.       Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan. 

5.       When cool, slice the cake evenly into two halves.  Place half of the whipped cream or cream cheese frosting (below) on the bottom half.  Top with the other half (with rounded portion up) and frost with the remaining whipped cream or frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

(makes enough for two layers of cake)

¼ cup butter, at room temperature

8 ounces Neufachatel or cream cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon pure almond, lemon or orange extract (optional – I prefer almond, by far)

Cream the butter and cream cheese together with a food processor or an electric mixer until blended and light.  Beat in the vanilla and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until the frosting is a good consistency for spreading.  If it’s too stiff, add a little milk.  If it’s too soft, add more confectioners’ sugar.  Add the extract, if using.

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts by The Moosewood Collective