Solid Gold Beet Cupcakes
By Libbie Summers (recipe from Sweet and Vicious –baking with attitude)
Photography by Anna Heritage
If you can’t wear gold sparkles to ring in the new year, bake up a golden cupcake instead…or better yet, do both.
Solid Gold Beet Cupcakes
(yellow beets, candied ginger)
yields 12
Ingredients:
3 medium to large yellow beets, tops cut off
1 tablespoon candied ginger
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
3⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Gold dusting powder (see Note)
12 edible paper gold crowns (optional, see Note)
Directions:
Put the beets in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the beets are fork tender. Remove from the heat and drain. When the beets are cool enough to handle, cut o the ends, peel, and chop. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the candied ginger until pulverized. Add the chopped beets and pulse until smooth (you should have 1 1⁄2 to 1 3⁄4 cups beet puree). Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 12-cup mun tin with gold foil cupcake liners and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the “our, salt, baking soda, and cardamom. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together both sugars and the butter until light and “uy. Add the eggs one at a time, and whisk until each addition is just incorporated. Add the vanilla paste and beet puree and whisk until thoroughly combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the “our mixture and whisk
until smooth.
Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan completely before you remove and decorate them.
Decorate each cupcake by brushing with a thin layer of gold dust powder and topping each with an edible gold paper crown, if desired . . . I have always desired a crown.
Gold dusting powder can be found at most craft stores in the baking section. The edible paper gold crowns can be found online…google them.
