It’s Valentine’s Day and what better way to celebrate than with a delicious Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. What makes this cake especially delicious is using the fresh roasted beets. When you roast the beets they get sweet and caramelized.

To roast the beets I just wash them well, and put them in a covered baking dish. Pop them in the oven on 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the beets are really tender. Let them cool for about 20 minutes and then you can actually just wipe the skins off of the beets with a paper towel. It’s my favorite way to prepare beets because it really does elevate the flavor to a new level.

Makes 2 – 8” cakes layers or 2 dozen cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
2 cups Beets (I used fresh roasted beets, but if you use canned be sure to drain the
liquid)
1 cup Buttermilk
1 ¼ cup Sugar
1 ½ sticks unsalted Butter, softened
3 Eggs
2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 ¾ cup Flour
¾ cup Cocoa Powder
1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease your cake pan(s) or for cupcakes use baking cups.
Puree the beets until smooth (add a little of the buttermilk if you need to).
Add the buttermilk to the smooth beet mixture and set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg is added.
Add in the vanilla.
Stop the mixer and add in the dry ingredients.
Mix on low while slowly adding the beet/buttermilk mixture.
Combine thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed.
Pour mixture into your prepared pan(s).
Bake cake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Frost with Cream Cheese Icing (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Butter
1 8-oz. package of Cream Cheese, softened
1 tsp Vanilla
1 lb. Confectioners Sugar

METHOD
Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla and beat until well blended and creamy.
Add the sugar gradually beating vigorously until smooth.

Ok, get ready for some super deliciousness – ’cause this is the best Carrot Cake I’ve ever tasted… if I must say so myself!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups of Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 cups of Sugar
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
2 cups grated Raw Carrots
1 (8 1/2 oz) can crushed Pineapple, drained
1/4 cup toasted Coconut
1/4 cup Golden Raisins

METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour pans (either 3 9-inch layer cake pans, or a 13″ x 9″ pan).
Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Mix sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until creamed together (about 2 minutes). Add dry ingredients and mix together until well blended. Add carrots, pineapple, coconut and raisins.
Pour into the greased and floured baking pan(s). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for a little bit in the pans, then turn onto wire racks.
Once the cake is completely cool frost with the Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).
Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Butter
1 8-oz. package of Cream Cheese, softened
1 tsp Vanilla
1 lb. Confectioners Sugar

METHOD
Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla and beat until well blended and creamy. Add the sugar gradually beating vigorously until smooth.