Elegant and rich, this super-moist pillow of cake gets its colour and texture from the vibrant-red, naturally sweet beetroot.                                

There’s nothing artificial about this dramatically hued holiday treat coated in a dense cloud of creamy white frosting. We purée the tender beetroot with buttermilk and vanilla to create a decadent cream that not only adds a light, velvety texture to the cupcake but also allows us to use less sugar, oil, and butter in the batter, saving fat and many calories!

Active Time 25 Mins

Total Time 1 Hour 45 Mins

Yield Serves 18 (serving size: 1 cupcake)

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes

• Baking spray with flour
• organic beetroot, peeled and cut into 8 wedges - 1 (10-oz.) 
• nonfat buttermilk - 2/3 cup 
• vanilla extract - 1 1/2 tsp 
• white whole-wheat flour - 8 ounces (about 2 cups) 
• unsweetened cocoa - 3 tbsp 
• baking powder - 2 tsp  
• kosher salt - 1/2 tsp 
• granulated sugar - 1 cup 
• canola oil - 1/4 cup 
• butter, softened - 1/4 cup 
• free range eggs - 2 large
• free range egg white - 1 large 

Frosting

• plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt - 1/3 cup 
• butter, softened - 2 tbsp  
• kosher salt - dash 
• 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened - 8 ounces 
• powdered sugar - 3/4 cup 

METHOD

1. To prepare cupcakes, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with liners; coat with baking spray. Place beet in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high; boil until beet is tender when pierced, about 15 minutes. Drain; cool 10 minutes.

2. Process beet in a food processor until very finely chopped. Remove 1 cup beet from processor; reserve remaining beet for another use. Return 1 cup reserved beet to food processor; add buttermilk and vanilla. Process until very smooth.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

4. Beat granulated sugar, oil, and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and beet mixture alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on wire rack, about 30 minutes.

5. To prepare frosting, beat yogurt, 2 tablespoons butter, dash of salt, and cream cheese in a medium bowl with a mixer on high speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar; beat on low speed 1 minute or just until combined. (Do not overbeat.) Spread frosting evenly onto cupcakes.

Nutritional Information:

Calories 223

Fat 10.8g

Saturated fat 4.6g

Monounsaturated fat 3.9g

Polyunsaturated fat 1.3g

Protein 5g

Carbohydrate 27g

Fiber 2g

Cholesterol 41mg

Iron 1mg

Sodium 181mg

Calcium 72mg

Sugars 18g Estimated added sugars 16g