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Beet Cupcakes for a Pink Picnic

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Yield: 36 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Moist and so full of flavor!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups flour (340 g)
  • 3 cups sugar (600 g)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 cup canola oil (270 g)
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups walnuts, shelled and chopped (125 g)
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded coconut (100 g ) (desiccated is all I can find in Poland)
  • 1 1/3 cups cooked beets, finely grated (360 g), you’ll need a bit more to color frosting
  • 1 cup dried cranberries (140 g)
  • 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained (170 g)

for frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese (250 g)
  • 6 tablespoons butter (85 g)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, see note (340 g)
  • beet juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C)
  2. Place cupcake liners in muffin pans
  3. Remove butter and cream cheese from refrigerator, to come to room temperature
  4. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and cocoa
  5. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla, beat until well combined
  6. Fold in the walnuts, coconut, beets, cranberries, and pineapple
  7. Pour the batter into cupcake liners, filling 3/4 full
  8. Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or top springs back when pressed lightly in the center
  9. Cool completely
  10. Cream the cream cheese and butter, it’s important that they’re at room temperature and soft to avoid unsightly little lumps in the frosting
  11. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated and lump free
  12. Press grated beets into sieve held over a cup to get beet juice
  13. Add just a few drops of beet juice to the frosting for pink color, if it gets too thin, add a little more powdered sugar
  14. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes

Notes

To make a layer cake rather than cupcakes, use two 9 x 2 or 9-inch springform pans. If you have traditional cake pans (not 2 inches high), make three layers, or two layers and a dozen cupcakes. Bake layers for about 50 minutes.

The proportions given for the frosting are very American. As much as I complain about Polish desserts not being sweet enough, I may be moving that way. I just made this with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and much preferred it. You actually taste the cream cheese. It’s still sweet but not overpowering.

This cake is also delicious and sweet enough without frosting. It’s great on it’s own or spread with a bit of butter.