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Lily's Chocolate Cake

SAVE ✓ SAVED ADD TO MEAL PLAN PRINT VIEW IN SPANISH

Sometimes you need to eat cake. This is a great recipe for special occasions that call for cake, like birthdays. This recipe was “doctored” from the original Hershey’s chocolate cake recipe on the back of their baking cocoa. There are puréed beets in it which are nutritious and actually give the cake a nice texture. This is one secret ingredient I can honestly say enhances the recipe.

To make the purée, take no salt added canned beets with some of the juice and run in through a good blender or mini food processor. Scrape down the sides and puree a few times to make sure it has a smooth consistency.

The frosting recipe is optional, and it does not make a lot of frosting because the cake is so sweet to begin with. Use it between two layers of a two layer cake, or skip the frosting and just top with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Food
Amt
Units
Prep
Notes
1 cup brown sugar
brown sugar
1
cup
1 cup all-purpose flour
all-purpose flour
1
cup
¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour
whole wheat pastry flour
¾
cups
1½ tablespoons flax meal
flax meal
tablespoons
1 tablespoon wheat germ
wheat germ
1
tablespoon
¾ cup cocoa powder
cocoa powder
¾
cup
1½ teaspoon baking powder
baking powder
teaspoon
1½ teaspoon baking soda
baking soda
teaspoon
1 teaspoon salt
salt
1
teaspoon
2 eggs
eggs
2
½ cup yogurt (plain, or can substitute nondairy yogurt)
yogurt
½
cup
plain, or can substitute nondairy yogurt
½ cup milk (dairy or nondairy milk substitute of choice)
milk
½
cup
dairy or nondairy milk substitute of choice
¼ cup oil (canola, vegetable, or other oil of choice)
oil
¼
cup
canola, vegetable, or other oil of choice
¼ cup beets (puréed until smooth)
beets
¼
cup
puréed until smooth
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
vanilla extract
2
teaspoon
1 cup water (boiling)
water
1
cup
boiling
optional: frosting
optional: frosting
4 tablespoons butter
butter
4
tablespoons
1½ tablespoon greek yogurt (plain)
greek yogurt
tablespoon
plain
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
vanilla extract
1
teaspoon
⅓ cup confectioner's sugar
confectioner's sugar
cup

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin pans or two 9-inch round pans with oil or cupcake liners. In mixing bowl stir together sugar, two types of flour, flax, wheat germ, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, yogurt, milk, oil, beet purée and vanilla. Beat on medium for about 2 minutes, scraping down sides halfway through. Stir in boiling water (batter is thin so turn the speed down at first to avoid splattering). Pour into pans or if baking as cupakes, fill muffin pan 3/4 or the way full.

Bake 20-25 minutes if making cupcakes or 25-30 minutes for round pans, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. Whip frosting ingredients slowly at first and then on high for one minute. Frost sparingly.

Prep time
15 min
Cook time
30 min
Yields/Serves:
12 slices
Contains Eggs, Contains Milk, Contains Wheat
Nutrition Information

Yum Ratings

😫😟😐😀😍 “I like chocolate!” —Zane, age 8
😫😟😐😀😍 “like the icing with the chocolate!” —Alexander, age 8
😫😟😐😀😍 “Me, too!” —Scott, age 6
😫😟😐😀😍 “I like chocolate!” —Jessica, age 7
😫😟😐😀😍 “Yummie, Yummie, Yummie! Super Yummie!” —Joseph, age 6
😫😟😐😀😍 (Points to happy face, eating intently) —Allison, age 3
😫😟😐😀😍 “It’s kinda like a brownie with cream cheese frosting. Delicious!” —Thomas, age 13
😫😟😐😀😍 “Super Yum!” —Owen, age 5
😫😟😐😀😍 “Super Yummie! I like the chocolate and the frosting!” —Ava, age 4
😫😟😐😀😍 (Won’t stop eating to comment) —Joseph, age 6
😫😟😐😀😍 “Super Yummy!” —Jessica, age 7