Paleo Beet Red Velvet Cake

So for years and years you’ve heard about my fiction writing, and now you can read it for the first time.

Later this year, my first novel will still be published.  It has been delayed slightly, but it will most definitely hit shelves in store and online this fall.  Yay!

I have been working on another avenue for quite some time as well.  I want to share more of my writing and grow my audience of wonderful readers.  Wattpad was featured on Sunday Today over a year ago.  Mom and I watched it and thought it sounded interesting.  My aunt did too; she called as soon as she saw the story and said it sounded perfect for me.

She was totally right.  I planned to post the book that ended up being signed for publication, then his a couple other snags like finding a cover designer.  But now more than a year later, here we are.  Sweet Little Secret is finally on Wattpad.  I have to thank Mallette Blum for the ah-mazing cover.

I am artistic, but I am nowhere near that talented when it comes to illustration.  Nor am I that talented when it comes to technology.  In fact when she said there wouldn’t be a title typed on it, I asked her to do so.  Because I don’t know how (#sorrynotsorry).

If you need any illustrations, reach out to Mallette.  She again is obviously super talented, and she is professional and timely.  I will be working with her again for sure because I plan on being a Wattpad mainstay 🙂

Chapter 1 of Sweet Little Secret is up now, and chapter 2 will be posted Thursday. Please go read and leave comments, and find other authors to support.  Though I would prefer to have it any other way, I bet a lot of you are like me and have some extra reading time for now.

So I made this Paleo Beet Red Velvet Cake in celebration of the book.  The book takes place in the future where sugar has been banned until a suburban housewife starts an underground bakery.  Parts of the book are light and fun and some are more serious … even a little bloody, kinda like a red velvet cake made with beets.

I hope the description tempts you to go read.

I also hope you make this cake.  Omg this cake is so incredibly, fantastically, beyond words good.  I was afraid it would taste like beets, but it doesn’t.  It even passed the Dad test 😉  I adapted the recipe heavily in order to make it paleo.  This was originally an egg leavened cake, which I love ordinarily, but I didn’t think eggs could support both the beets and the heavier nut based flour blend.  No complaints at all about the end result.

The super creamy frosting brings the whole thing together with a pastry cream like vibe.  Finishing with grated carob made the whole thing feel super special and bakery worthy … kinda like my book.  Basically I just want to eat this cake forever and ever.

And keep writing forever and ever.

Thank you for reading.

Paleo Beet Red Velvet Cake

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Laura
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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Cake

1 ½ pounds red beets, about 6, roasted until very soft

5 large eggs

2 cups coconut sugar

1 cup olive oil

2 ¼ cups paleo flour blend

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup finely grated dark chocolate or carob, plus more for garnish

Frosting

2 cups cashews, soaked overnight

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon vanilla bean powder

¾ cup carob or cocoa powder

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Instructions

Make the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Oil two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

In a high powered blender, puree the beets with ¼ cup water until completely smooth.  Measure out 2 cups of the beets for the cake and save the rest for another use.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and oil until combined and lightened in texture, about 5 minutes.  A hand or stand mixer would also work, but I like the challenge.  Gently stir in the beet puree, followed by the flour, baking powder and soda, and the grated chocolate or carob.

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake about 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.  Allow cakes to cool completely in pans.

Make the frosting.  In a high powered blender (I did the beets at the same time with a quick rinse in between), place the cashews, milk, syrup, and lemon.  Blend until completely smooth, using a tamper if your blender has one.  Pour into a bowl.  Stir in the vanilla and carob or cocoa powder until well incorporated.  Refrigerate overnight for best results to allow to set.

Assemble the cake.  Cut each of the cake layers in half horizontally.  Place one layer on a cake plate or stand.  Top with frosting, spread into an even layer.  Top with cake, and more frosting.  I added some chopped carob on this middle frosting layer, a totally optional step that just adds a little something extra.  Feel free to use dark chocolate if you choose.  Cake, frosting, cake, and the rest of the frosting on top.  I used an offset spatula to make a swirl pattern and sprinkled with some grated carob.  Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Cake may also be frozen, wrapped in plastic and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Notes

Cake recipe adapted from Tasting Table