Gluten free and vegan chocolate beet cake is topped with a rich yet healthy chocolate frosting made from avocadoes. A delicious, healthier dessert.Â
It seems like a chocolate kind of day.
Doesn’t it? Is it just because it’s Monday? Is it because it’s getting close to Halloween and everywhere I go it’s candy, candy, and more candy?
Who knows. Either way, I have a healthier vegan chocolate beet cake recipe for you with my sneaky chocolate avocado frosting on top. It’s soooo good, and the frosting even fooled my seven year old, who can usually spot secretly healthy treats a mile away.
This is very similar to my easy vegan and gluten free chocolate cake recipe, but with the added benefit of some beet puree in the batter.
You can’t taste or see the beets, and they add a little more fiber and some antioxidants to a very decadent dessert.
Tips for making this vegan chocolate beet cake:
- I just boil a beet or two and then blend in the food processor to make beet puree, but if you wanted to save time you could find baby food beets and use those instead.
- If you’re out of beets, or hate beets, or are afraid of your hands turning purple, you could easily use another fruit puree. Prune puree would work, as would unsweetened applesauce. But since I’m not a huge beet fan, I like to hide beets in desserts when I can! That way I can still get some of the benefits.
I did use a gluten free flour blend in this recipe (Enjoy Life Foods Gluten Free Flour, 123 Gluten Free Flour, or Living NOW Foods Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour would all work). You can also make this chocolate beet cake with regular flour if you don’t need it to be gluten free.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Recipe
Chocolate Beet Cake with Chocolate Avocado Frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup organic cane sugar you can sub coconut sugar for all or part of this
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup organic canola oil or coconut oil
- ½ cup beets pureed
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
For the Frosting:
- 2 avocados
- 10 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten free flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.
- Add the organic canola oil, beet puree, water, and apple cider vinegar. Mix batter by hand.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 25 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cake and invert the pan to remove the cake.
- Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, combine the avocados, maple syrup, and cocoa powder in the food processor. Process until very smooth. Taste it, and add more maple syrup if needed.
- Frost the cooled cake and then store the frosted cake in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Cake adapted from this recipe.
Sometimes people wonder about using avocado in desserts. It really does taste good, but you have to use a perfectly ripe avocado. You can’t use one that’s starting to head south, because it will just taste like an overripe avocado, and that’s no good. A perfectly ripe one will not have any kind of taste in the frosting, it will just be super rich and creamy.
If you just want to skip the cake and enjoy the topping, try this chocolate avocado pudding recipe.
Are you a fan of hiding vegetables and fruits in your desserts?
Follow along:
Amy
I have made this cake 4 times and about to make it again! Its delicious and never flops. Thank you so much!
A question, would I be able to make cupcakes instead? <3
Kelly Roenicke
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know!
Stephanie Mormina
Hey there! I was wondering why you add apple cider vinegar to this recipe?
Just curious.
Thank you!
Stephanie
Kelly Roenicke
It helps the batter rise. Since this is egg free, it needs a little help!
Denise
Made this cake today. My hubby, who by the way hates any kind of veggie but green beans and corn, thought this was pretty good. I am not crazy about the frosting but I think tweaking the sweetners would help. All in all this is a very rich chocolate yummy dessert.
Kelly Roenicke
Thank you for sharing, glad you liked it!
Rhoda
I had all these avocado recipes ion my Pinterest page this afternoon and yours caught my eye. The recipe looked good but your serving dish brought a smile to my eye. I have a platter with that same pattern which belonged to my mother. Such a surprise to see it on Pinterest! ?
Kelly Roenicke
How neat! I love all the unique patterns on older dishes. :)
maria
Great great great recipe)))
thanks a lot )))
Kelly
Glad you liked it!
Amie
Such a fantastic recipe! I made this cake over the weekend for a healthy dessert. I used agave nectar instead of maple syrup and swapped the sugar portion for 1/2 coconut sugar and 1/2 applesauce. I also made a 2 layer 6 inch cake….and it turned out fantastic!! It’s certainly not a traditional chocolate cake, however everyone that tried was completely satisfied and intrigued with the amount of fruits/veggies included! Thank you for sharing, I will definitely be making this bad boy again!
Kelly
Thank you so much, Amie! I’m so glad to hear this was a hit! Your changes sound wonderful!
Jennifer Cashman
Do you have a calorie count for this cake with the icing?
Kelly
I’m sorry, I don’t. There are a lot of good calorie counters on line though!
Whole and Heavenly Oven
Oh my GOSH. This cake looks so chocolate-y and fudgy I can hardly stand it! I’m pretty sure I could totally trick my family into eating beets if I made this cake—worth a try! ;)
Gabrielle
I have time and again even their friends who do not eat any veges except fries!
lydiaf1963
This sounds fabulous! I’m going to make it and not tell my husband what’s in it. :)
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
What a healthy dessert! I could eat this completely guilt free. Heck, even 2 slices! haha!
Strength and Sunshine
Every day is a chocolate kinda day and mondays are no exception!
whiskandshout
This cake looks incredibly delicious- chocolatey and moist and I love how packed with nutrition it is! Pinning :)
Selena @ The Nutritious Kitchen
This is by far the healthiest cake I have ever laid eyes on that actually looks DELICIOUS!! Oh my goodness I am blown away right now. Can not wait to try this out!!
Kristine | Kristine's Kitchen
I love secretly healthy desserts! This one looks so rich and decadent, I can see how your son would be none the wiser. :)
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet
It is ALWAYS a chocolate kind of day in my book. :) This cake has my name written all over it. I love that you used beets and avocado! Pinning!
Chelsey
SOLD! I want to abandon my midterm studying and go bake NOW! This looks incredible…I’m not sure how you do it!
Kelly
Thank you so much!
Cassie @ Almost Getting It Together
I think the second most memorable dessert I’ve ever had was a chocolate and beet dessert at Lazy Bear. I’ve been thinking about it for months… and now I’m going to have to try this to get over the craving!
Kelly
You should definitely make this cake! :)
Katie {mom's kitchen handbook}
Dying to try this. That frosting looks amazing.
Kelly
Thank you, Katie!
Julia
Yeeeeeeeeesuuuuuuh! Chocolate beet cake is my jam! I made one a few weeks ago and am still swoonin over the thing. That avo frosting looks and sounds marvelous, too. This cake would last roughly 3.4 seconds in my house!
Kelly
Thanks, Julia!
PumpkinnSpice
You had me at beet cake! This looks gorgeous, Kelly! I’ve never made a sweet treat with beets before, so I’m definitely intrigued. Sounds delicious!
Kelly
Thanks, Gayle!