Chocolate Beet Cake

I know...sounds a little crazy, right?!! Well, one of the markets I do was having a kind of cookbook exchange, take one...leave one...that sort of thing. So I found a 1980 Southern Living Annual Recipe Cookbook and started looking over some of the recipes when I came upon this odd combo.
Now, I've been known to bake some unusual ingredients together, like my zucchini spice cookies or the rhubarb cookies so why would this be any different?!!
Also, since my youngest son Kris loves beets I knew this had all the makings of a winner recipe!! And yes, I was correct. This cake came out very chocolatey and moist and...no, you don't taste the beets!!
Just look at it. I love the color, too! It has chocolate chips in it to give it more chocolatey flavor but the beet red color still comes through.
So give it a try and don't tell anyone the secret ingredient!! They'll never know they're getting vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants with each bite!!

Amazing colors !!

Chocolate Beet Cake

2 cups AP flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup cocoa

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup cooked grated beets

1/2 cup corn oil (I used canola)

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tsp. orange zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (6 oz.) pkg.semi sweet chocolate chips

Powdered sugar (optional)

Grease a 9 inch square pan. Preheat oven to 350.

Combine flour, powder,salt and cocoa; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Mix well.

Add beets, oil, orange juice and orange zest to sugar mixture; beat well.

Stir in flour mixture and vanilla, mixing well.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or til cake tests done.

Let cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.