Tyler Florence's Red Velvet Beet Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, to grease baking pans
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped red beets
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 for the cake:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 3 begin by lightly greasing tins with butter (oven proof ramekins or cocotte dishes work well). peel beets and cut into pieces so they can fit comfortably in a food processor.
• 4 in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. in a separate bowl, mix molasses, eggs, buttermilk, oil and sugar together. now mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients and then fold in the processed beets.
• 5 place cake tins on a roasting tray. divide batter amongst tins and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until they have puffed up and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• 6 allow to cool and then frost with cream cheese frosting, layering the cakes on top of each other.
• 7 for the cream cheese frosting:.
• 8 using a kitchen mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until blended and you have a smooth, light texture. add the vanilla, lemon zest and powdered sugar and beat until combined. continue to beat until smooth and glossy â?? about 7 minutes.