Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Yield: serves 4
Time: 50 hour (not including beet garnish)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, to grease baking pans
1 1/4 cups finely chopped red beets
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
a pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Sweet Greek Yogurt:
2 cups unsweetend Greek yogurt
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 smaller beet, used for garnish (see recipe below and make ahead of time)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Begin by lightly greasing 4 individual baking dishes with butter (oven proof ramekins or cocotte dishes work well). Peel beets and cut into pieces so they can fit comfortably in a food processor.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a separate bowl, mix molasses, eggs, buttermilk, oil and sugar together. Now mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients and then fold in the processed beets.
Set ramekins out on a roasting tray. Divide batter amongst ramekins and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until they have puffed up and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make sweetened Greek yogurt by combining yogurt, honey, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Swirl with a wooden spoon so they are just combined and serve with warm beet cake.
Make the beet garnish (plan on doing this ahead of time as it takes up to 3 hours to cook). Shave the beet into thin slices using a mandolin or sharp knife. Line a roasting dish with parchment and set the beets out in a single layer on the tray. Cover with another sheet of parchment, carefully pressing out any air bubbles. Top with another tray to add weight and bake on a low temperature to dehydrate the beet slices without over cooking them. Bake at 150 degrees F for 2-3 hours. Use as a garnish on top of the beet cakes.
