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I love finding interesting recipes that use intriguing ingredients. Mixing a typical savory food and making it a decadent dessert is one of my favorite ways of baking.
This red velvet beet based recipe for a cake sounded too good to be true, but let me tell you, it is by far the most delicious red velvet cakes I’ve ever eaten!
The addition of Lavender Extract into both the cake and frosting is so subtle, yet truly makes the flavors come alive.
Intrigued? Here is the recipe!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 puréed red beet
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1.5 cups browned butter* (1/2c reserved for icing)
- 1Tbs Lavender Extract
- 1 egg
- 2.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
Icing:
- 1/2 brown butter
- 2 tsp lavender extract
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
How to brown butter:
Place 3 sticks of butter into a sauce pan. Begin melting on low and increase to medium heat whisking the entire time until a medium golden brown.
Cool 1 cup of the brown butter until warm to the touch. The other 1/2 cup let harden in the refrigerator about 1 hour.
In a food processor purée 3/4 c of peeled red beets. Add sugars, brown butter, extract and 1 egg.
In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.
Slowly pulse in the dry ingredients until combined scraping sides down frequently. Batter will be almost as thick as cookie dough.
Pour batter into a 9x13 greased with parchment paper lined pan. Bake for 28 minutes on 350 or until toothpick comes out almost clean. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, with a hand mixer, beat remaining cold brown butter until light and fluffy about 2 minutes. Slowly beat in 2 tsp lavender extract, 1/4c sour cream, then 2 cups of powdered sugar until fluffy.
Ice cooled cake and serve. Enjoy!
