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We have an awesome cupcake store in our neighborhood and every now and then we take the kids by to enjoy a special treat. Without fail, their eyes are always drawn to the most colorful cupcakes in the display case. My kids may have no idea how a red velvet cupcake made with crimson food dye actually tastes, but put something like it in front of them and their immediate response is, “that one”.
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My take on these cupcakes have a rich flavor, and while they aren’t as artificially red as the red velvet cupcakes which use chemical food dyes (and of course chocolate which this one doesn’t include), they (and their icing) get their bright, reddish-pink color from a surprising, delicious and 100% natural guest, roasted beets. Especially given the never-ending speculation about the connection between food dyes and hyperactivity in children, having smart alternatives for the artificially colored food that kids crave means I don’t have to deprive my little ones.
This doesn’t mean we’re not frequenting our local cupcake store any less often, but I always like reminding myself that whenever there’s something out there I may not be thrilled about my kids eating, figuring out how to make a healthier version is not at all impossible.
Red Beet Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large beet, roasted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Beet Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup beet puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Sift the first 4 ingredients into a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and combine.
- Pour about 1/3 cup into lined muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Beet Cream Cheese Frosting (Make 2 Cups)
- Place all the ingredients in a mixer and beat on medium to high speed until fluffy. 2. Spread on cupcakes.
This recipe looks rlaely good, Cindy. Love a good banana cake!Wow, it’s not even that hot here in sunny Florida. We’re hovering in the low 90’s in the Tampa Bay area. I can certainly identify with you about restless sleeping when it’s so hot. Our A/C went out about a week ago and it was a full 24 hours before the repairman could get here to fix it. Ugh! With 4 ceiling fans running on high speed and a huge floor fan, it was still 90 degrees inside my house. It was so hot, sticky, and miserable that I only got a few hours of sleep. In addition, I was unbelieveably irritable and ended up with a splitting headache from enduring the unrelenting heat. And my poor dogs did nothing but pant for 24 hours! What in the world did we ever do before air conditioning?
Hi there, Would someone please be able to tell me if I can make a sheet cake using this recipe? I would be using an 18 x 12 sheet cake pan or a slightly smaller jelly roll pan. thank you!
[…] you can use healthier ingredients (no trans fats or artificial colors). Check out this recipe for cupcakes made with beets from […]
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Catherine, both of my 24 month-old toddlers (and I of course) thank you for giving us a delicious (and healthy) dessert for Valentine’s Day. We substituted AP flour for WW Pastry and it still came out light and fluffy (you’re recipes are amazing). We’ll definitely be baking these again in the future- they WERE so yummy.
Catherine,
I’d like to make this recipe into one ladybug cake instead of individual muffins. Do you have any suggestions for how I should tweak the ingredients or baking instructions so I’m still successful with a moist and yummy cake?
Thanks!
Made these yesterday and they turned out so yummy! I used buttermilk (well, 1 tbsp vinegar then filled up to 1 cup with milk)and 3 tbsp of cocoa. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a real red velvet but this came out tastier and more moist than the last version I tried with no dye.
Catherine- I’ve been making your recipes as often as possible (and sharing them with friends) since my little one started eating solids (he’s 2 1/2). These are delicious and so moist! However, they lost their color? Any tips on that?
i made these a few days ago and so far everybody adults n kids love them!! cant wait to make another batch!
i also added 3tbl of cocoa powder my husband thought it was a chocolate cupcake!
I tried them yesterday, they were very good. I just had a question, the batter stuck to the lining too much, is this normal/. I used A gave instead of honey, at the beginning I thought they were not sweet enough, however, they turned out just sweet enough with the frosting. Thans again for a nice recipe.
I was wondering if you could use sugar instead of the honey. If so, how much? I was going to make these for my daughter’s 1st birthday and am not ready to introduce her to honey.
Just wondering what I could use instead of honey?
Where did you get the confetti? I have looked for white confetti everywhere and all I can find is the white mixed in with other colors. Please tell me you didn’t hand pick them out! 🙂
[…] and I love muffins. Last week, I made some Red Beet Cupcakes that were wonderful! I didn’t add frosting though, so they were more like muffins. Also, mine […]
My son loves these cupcakes!!!! Im glad he does b/c there so healthy for you!! I will try just about any type of food but these smell like earthworms ( dirt ). I brought myself to try a tiny piece an they weren’t too yummy but im glad he loves them i added the 2 table spoons of cocoa powder to the flour. They were incredibly moist and beets have such a beautiful color i will be making these again 🙂
Did you steam the beets? And did the cupcakes turn out okay? I failed at roasting my beets. Not sure how, but I did. If steaming worked, I think I’ll try that, too!
Thanks!