Ok, I've been trying to get this post up for days but I just haven't had the brain power. Blame the baby. He's still demanding to be fed every two hours. 😉
I kid but seriously, I'm sorry for the lack of posts. Please expect the frequency of ideas to be a little weak for at least another month. I have FitBloggin' hanging over my head as well. I'm in for a crazy few weeks.
Anyway, this idea was a complete experiment based on our Simple Green Cupcakes. Joanne sent me this message
I enjoyed making your spinach cupcakes for St. Patricks Day, any suggestions for Easter cupcakes made with a vegetable??
Beets IMMEDIATELY came to mind. Their color is so intense, I just had to give it a shot!
The result was beautiful!
As suspected, the cupcakes came out the most gorgeous color of pink. But it wasn't the color I was worried about. It was the taste.
They came out interesting to say the least. There was a hint of beet flavor but it made a fun spring cupcake flavor! I never would have believed it if I didn't try it myself.
Beet cupcakes are YUMMY!
Don't believe me? Ask the 5 year old. He'll tell you the truth. (I should have gotten this on video!)
Me: Did you like the pink cupcakes?
5 year old: I loved them! They were good.
Me: Which did you like better? The green or the pink?
5 year old: I liked the both! Do I have to pick?
There you have it. Beet Cupcakes get "the toddler" seal of approval. 😉
Ingredients
- ½ cup of applesauce (120g)
- 1 8oz can of beets with liquid
- Box of Store Bought White Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Classic White Cake Mix
) - Sprinkles (optional)
)Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 15-18 muffin tins with liners and spray with a bit of non-stick to be safe. Note: I made 18 but if you'd like them a little bigger cut back to 15.
Put the beets and applesauce in the food processor.
Puree.
How awesome is that color!
Dump the cake mix and beet puree in a large bowl.
Beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes on medium until the batter is combined.
Separate the batter into the cupcake liners. Add sprinkles if you like. This is my way of making them festive without icing. In my opinion, the cupcake has enough sugar already. No need to add tons more on top. Sprinkles are just as fun!
Bake for about 20 minutes, then enjoy and admire your festive PINK cupcakes!
I plan on making half pink and half green for Easter this weekend. Festive, no? 🙂
Oh! and now I'm pondering pureed carrots for orange. 😉
📖 Recipe
Beet-elicious Cupcakes. That's right, BEET Cupcakes!
Ingredients
- ½ cup of applesauce 120g
- 1 8 oz can of beets with liquid
- Box of Store Bought White Cake Mix I used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Classic White Cake Mix
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 15-18 muffin tins with liners and spray with a bit of non-stick to be safe. Note: I made 18 but if you'd like them a little bigger cut back to 15.
- Put the beets and applesauce in the food processor. Puree.1 8 oz can of beets with liquid, ½ cup of applesauce
- Dump the cake mix and beet puree in a large bowl.Box of Store Bought White Cake Mix
- Beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes on medium until the batter is combined.
- Separate the batter into the cupcake liners. Add sprinkles if you like. This is my way of making them festive without icing. In my opinion, the cupcake has enough sugar already. No need to add tons more on top. Sprinkles are just as fun!Sprinkles
- Bake for about 20 minutes, then enjoy and admire your festive PINK cupcakes!
Janine Joyce
These were terrific! I used my Ninja juicer to chop up the beets and apple sauce and it worked just fine. Love love love these. I used to make Cake Mix cookies using box cake mix, 2 eggs and 1/4 cup of oil. I would love to incorporate beets into that recipe too! Thank you 🙂
roni
Nope. All ingredients and photos listed above.
Denise Bergh
Do you add the other ingredients as listed in the box cake mix directions? Like Eggs, oil etc?
angie
i recreated your recipe and linked back to you! thank you for such a great idea!
http://successful2gether.blogspot.com/2012/02/chocolate-beet-cake.html
Cari
Thanks! Love this recipe!!! Yesterday I made them with a box of lemon muffin mix I had, not a big hit.
Today I made them again with a vanilla cake mix and my 5 yr old son ate 3! Ha!
Re the health benefits of beets, yes! They're amazing! Just not sure canned beats (like I used) added to a box cake mix make it all that worth while =). But I feel better giving these to my kids then a lot of the other options out there.
Want a GREAT frosting made with beets? Got it from my kids Waldorf home based school they used to go to.
~ 1 package of cream cheese (the brick kind, not in a 'tub')
~ Beet root powder (not easy to find. I had my local Sprouts grocery store order it for me)
~ Maple syrup to taste
Soooooo good and soooooooo pretty!
Brandi Koskie
I have to say I love this idea! The first time I made my daughter's beet baby food I was dumbstruck by the electric magenta color that poured out of them. I asked my husband "Why would anyone ever use artificial colors when this exists in nature?" Going to have to give it a try!
Carmen
I made these tonight and I was surprised how yummy they are, I love beets just was not sure how they would be and I couln't even taste the beets, I am curious how my 14 & 18 year old sons will like these...very good snack when you have a sweet tooth and don't want to blow it. Thanks Roni
JL
A timesaver....just add the cake mix to the foodprocessor & mix there!
I made today with a lemon cake mix! Yum!
emily
Roni,
This is random but as I was eating my evening snack of Honeyed Grapefruit tonight, I remembered reading about your love of citrus. I thought you might like the recipe for this fun and healthful treat:
_Honeyed Grapefruit_
(1) Heat oven to 450 degrees
(2) Cut grapefruit in half & cut along sections (leaving fruit in the shell)
(3) Drizzle with 1 TBL honey (or, for a treat, a bit of maraschino cherry juice -- drop 1 cherry in center)
(4) Heat in oven (in cake pan or similar) for 10-15 mins
(5) Serve fresh from oven -- enjoy!
Deanna - The Unnatural Mother
I am making these for Easter!!!
Julie
Sooooooo good, intersting, tasty and easy to make! Thanks again Roni. That you can manage to be creative with a nursing newborn gives me a "we're not worthy" feeling!
Megan
I made this tonight. They were very light and fluffy. I couldn't even taste the beets! I need to bring a dessert to my aunt's for Easter. I'm going to bring some to my parents tomorrow. If they pass the "dad" test, I'll make some for Easter.
Joanne
I made them this evening to try out before making them for Easter. They are wonderful. I am not sure yet which I prefer these or the spinach. Looking forward to many other veggie cupcake recipes from you Roni.
Thank you!
Joanne
Sarah
I made these and the spinach ones tonight! I'm so excited to have a better option for a dessert during our Easter meal!! Thank you!
roni
Amanda - I have 1 experiment that may help... https://greenlitebites.com/2010/09/20/homemade-garden-tomato-soup/
🙂
roni
Beets are undrained! I used the juice. Jeesh.. this was my worst write up yet! I need sleep!!
Amanda
Hey I can't wait to try these they look great....never ate beets before....I was wondering if you had or can make a recipe with homemade tomato soup...I love grilled cheese sandwichs and tomato soup but canned soup is loaded with sodium...your the recipe queen and didn't know who else I could ask...
Julie
I'm looking at the picture and the beets don't look drained, but I was wondering if you include the beet juice in the recipe. Thank you Roni!
Beth
Doh, I've been waiting for this recipe to come out...and it had to be one of the foods I REALLY don't like! Haha, I was hoping for some good fresh strawberries 🙂
Patty
OMG! They look great and so easy! 🙂
I'm buying myself a food processor for my birthday!
Amy @ A Little Nosh
And now I know what to do with the can of beets in my cabinet! (NO CLUE where they came from.)
roni
It's worth a shot but I don't think the color would be quit right.
Carole
Would beets added to a chocolate cake mix make a healthy red velvet cake?
Tara
I love those colors! I used beets from my CSA basket a couple of years ago to make cake frosting. It made a great color for the fish (shaped) cake for our son's 5th birthday!
Joanne
Thank you so much. I can not wait to make them!
Joanne
Chrystal N
These look fabulous! Definitely going to try them! I had great success with the green cupcakes for St.Patrick's day - I made a double batch and sent some to hubby's work and rugrat's daycare, and took some to my work - they were loved all over! Can't wait to try these 🙂
Tami
Love this Roni!
Beets are like a super food too,containing so many health benefits.
I have read about using beets with chocolate to make a chocolate cake of course you would lose that lovely pink color.
What a festive idea for Easter.
Melanie
I've used canned pumpkin with cake mix. With a little pumpkin pie spice and dried cranberries and nuts for fun. That made the orange. But it would be great to see what carrots do, add orange extract, for kick.
roni
Ahhh all fixed! Thanks!!
[email protected]
You know, I had a major fail when I attempted to bake with beets last week (I blogged about). Glad to know that someone had success!
As far as orange goes, maybe some sweet potato would work?
Melody
Roni-I saw what she meant. In the ingredients list you have the cake mix listed twice so she might have thought you use two boxes in the recipe?
Also, in one part of the directions you said to use the cake and spinach mix? I think it's all simple typos from copying and pasting and NO ONE can blame you for it with all that you're juggling...Just wanted to let you know so it doesn't cause confusion for anyone else. You rock and this recipe looks delicious. I am very curious about trying it myself!
: ) Thanks for all that you do and for all the wonderful info you give us all.
roni
Mot sure what you mean. Heres's the spinach ones...
https://greenlitebites.com/2011/03/09/simple-green-cupcakes-st-patricks-day-surprise/
Emily
I can't wait to try these for Easter! Such a great idea!! Quick question though...what would you do if you wanted to use fresh beets? I have some fresh beets in the fridge and I am not as familiar with using them yet. I only just tried them for the first time less than a month ago! So just curious how to prepare them.
wendy
Hey - so you use two boxes of cake mix? And what about the spinach - I didn't see that in the recipe. How much spinach? Thanks, I think I am going to make these using Gluten Free cake mix!
Eileen
that bottom cupcake looks like it has a heart on it;). Ryan is probably ecstatic that you are making cupcakes AND letting him eat them! I love them, they are beautiful
Lucy
♥♥♥ these!
I have three little ones at home with me for a fortnight on school holidays - we are SO making these today - thank you!
(And I have no doubt I shall subsequently want to blog about it - I shall, of course, link back - is that OK?)