Fudgy Vegan Beet Cupcakes

Fudgy Vegan Beet Cupcakes

Non-vegan folks might also check out Chocolate-Beet Cake.

Makes 10 cupcakes.

1 medium Red Dog Farm beet (makes 1/2 cup puréed beet)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup raw turbinado OR granulated sugar
1/4 cup avocado or melted coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 heaping cup whole-wheat pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 scant cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for topping
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Scrub beets underwater until clean.

Wrap beets in foil, drizzle on a bit of olive or avocado oil, wrap tightly, and roast for one hour or until a knife inserted falls out without resistance. Set in the fridge (in a bowl to catch juice) to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, either finely grate or puree beets in a small blender (adding orange juice or water to encourage mixing). Measure out 1/2 cup and set aside. Reserve the rest for things like beet hummus!

Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the almond milk and vinegar in a large bowl, and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup beets and beat until foamy.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a sifter and slowly sift it into the wet ingredients while mixing with a hand-held or standing mixer. Beat until no large lumps remain.

Pour batter into liners, filling 3/4 of the way full. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Do not try and unwrap them or they’ll stick to the wrapper.

Once cooled, dust with cocoa powder and store in an airtight container to keep fresh.