by Megan Winfrey

Well, my sweet baby angel girl is a year old. Last week was a whirlwind to say the least - with birthday parties, travel, and too many bad food indulgences. It was also fantastic and I loved every minute of it. There was one indulgence that I couldn't feel guilty about, but it was none-the-less rich, chocolate-y, and sweet. I've been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now, and I hope ya'll enjoy it as much as I did.



Chocolate Beet Cupcakes

4 small or 2 large beets 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2/3 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1 large egg 1/4 cup canola oil 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided 2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

First, cook the beets by submerging them whole in a pot of water and boiling them until you can pierce a knife straight through - about 30 minutes. The bigger the beet, the longer it will take to soften. When done, let the beets cool, then peel off the skins by hand. They should fall right off, and if they don't, scrape the skins away gently with a spoon. Dice the beets, then add them to a blender with the butter cream. Blend until a smooth puree forms, reserve 2 tbs. in a small bowl, then transfer the rest to a large bowl.



In a different bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg, oil, vanilla, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to the beet puree and whisk all together. Lightly stir in the dry ingredients, then spoon the batter into the lined cups. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before icing.

For the frosting, combine the rest of the powdered sugar, the cream cheese, and the reserved beet puree in a bowl, then blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Top each cupcake with a generous dollop and smooth out to the edges.