Red Velvet Cupcakes with Beets

I can't remember why we were talking about red velvet cupcakes a few months ago. I think it was at some dinner party and it came up. (I know that you are wishing that you would have been there...) I "google-ed" red velvet cupcakes after the party to get to the bottom of what ever we were discussing and it turns out that during the Great Depression, red velvet cupcakes were originally made using beets! What?! Sick, right? I knew I had to try it out. Lance Wheeler's birthday party seemed like a good excuse. Overall conclusion: so good, really moist, and messy to make. Yet to be determined: Are they any healthier than their non-beet-including counterparts? Probably not...

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Beets (from www.coconutandlime.com)

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa (Ghiradelli's is great)

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup beet puree (boil 2-3 beets, wait for them to cool, and throw them in the food processor)
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 12 wells in a cupcake pan.

2. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.

3. Mix together the oil, milk, yogurt, vinegar, beet puree, and eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the center cupcake comes out clean. Cool before frosting. 

We also made white and chocolate flavored cupcakes and tubs (literally!) of cream cheese and chocolate frosting.  People loved the "cupcake bar" because they could choose their favorite kind of cupcake, frosting, and toppings.  For toppings we had crushed Heath, Oreos, sprinkles, and fruit.  For excellent cream cheese and white frosting recipes check out www.wilton.com!  Afterall, the cupcakes is simply the vehicle for eating absurd amounts of  luscious frosting.