1cuproasted, shredded red beets (about 4 small beets)
1 ¼cupbuttermilk
Frosting:
1cupunsalted butter
8ouncescream cheese
¼cuproasted beets, shredded
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1teaspoonmilk
½teaspoonlemon juice
Pinchof salt
4-5cupspowdered sugar
Instructions
Cut off stems for beets and lay them out on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F. until they are tender, about an hour for small beets. If you get larger ones you’ll have to add on 15-20 minutes.
Let beets cool slightly, then peel them and grate them using either a box grater or food processor. The want the beet shreds to be very fine for the batter and somewhat fine for the frosting.
Stir together dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder). Sift cocoa powder to remove clumps.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugars until they are soft and light. Then add in one egg at a time and stir in vanilla. Finally, mix in shredded beets.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined. Then add buttermilk and mix. Then add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix until you can see no flour. Try not to over mix it.
Spoon batter out in 1/4 cup cupcakes into a prepared tin. Then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 17-18 minutes until a tester comes out clean from the center. Let cupcakes cool before frosting.
For frosting, beat together butter, cream cheese, vanilla, milk, a pinch of salt, and shredded beets. When it’s smooth, starting adding powdered sugar until it reaches the thickness you want. You’ll need 4-5 cups of powdered sugar.