Secretly Healthy Rusty Velvet Cake!
Secretly Healthy Rusty Velvet Cake
Lets talk about red velvet cake.
I like most red velvet cakes but I don’t love them. My 2 main complaints when it comes to traditional red velvet are they tend to be dry and it takes A LOT of red food dye to get the signature red color. Which means you get the bitter red dye taste.
A little history about red velvet cake.
When red velvet was first invented the color came from the chemical reaction of cocoa powder, baking soda, vinegar and buttermilk, which gave it a “redish” color. Over the years, red food dye was added to give it that signature red look. Red food dye has a distinctive bitter dye taste and I really don’t love the flavor. I do however. like the subtle flavors of chocolate and vanilla that are present in red velvet. This secretly healthy rusty velvet cake brings those beautiful flavors to life, all while being super moist, healthy and it has the most amazing cake texture!
What makes this cake secretly healthy?
Three things make this cake healthy, coconut flour, coconut sugar and red beet powder.
Coconut flour-
Adds fiber, protein and healthy fats to the cake. All of those help balance the white flour used in this recipe. To learn more about coconut flours health benefits click here.(this is not a sponsored link but nutritional information I found informative about the ingredient)
Coconut sugar-
Great natural sweetener that metabolizes differently in the body than white or refined sugars. That is because it contains a fiber called inulin which slows the bodies absorption of this sugar. Therefore, It does not spike your blood sugar like other refined sugars. If you have never tasted coconut sugar, it does not taste like coconut but I would say tastes like a lighter brown sugar and has a slight caramel taste to it. Find out more about coconut sugars health benefits here. (this is not a sponsored link but nutritional information I found informative about the ingredient)
Red beet powder-
Naturally sweet and contains lots of fiber (2 grams per Tablespoon) as well as vitamins A and C, iron, potassium. folate and other nutrients. Beets are said to clean the blood, help with energy, lower blood pressure and more health benefits. So why not add them into a cake! Read here about all the benefits from beets. (this is not a sponsored link but nutritional information I found informative about the ingredient) Red beet powder can be bought at most grocers that have natural options. Usually it is in the supplement area, or if your store has a healthy shake area it should be there too, ask a worker for help finding it. It can also be bought online.
Science is cool.
Another fun thing about this cake is when you make the batter it is bright red because I use red beet powder! When baked, the red beet powder will oxidize and turn a rusty brown color, thus the name rusty velvet was born. It’s actually kind of magical! If you are making this cake with kids, show them the batter before baking for a little science fun!
Family review unedited.
When my daughter tried this cake she took one bite. then dropped her fork and stared at me with a stunned expression. I was worried at first, but then she asked me “can you please make me this cake for my birthday!! It’s so good”. My son didn’t pause eating to tell me his thoughts on the cake, he exclaimed mid-chew with a mouth full that “this is the best cake I’ve ever had”. Golden comments coming from a 8 and 6 year old. My husband, who loves a good red velvet told me he loved the cake too! I asked if he could taste the red beet powder and he said he could not, I said “come on, be honest” he said “no really! I can’t taste it!”. Woohoo! Mission accomplished!
The cream cheese glaze is insanely delicious!
The cream cheese glaze frosting perfectly balances the rusty velvet. It is somewhere between a glaze and a frosting which makes this cake nearly naked and in my opinion that is the best frosting ratio.
Secretly Healthy Rusty Velvet Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 cup Red Beet Powder
- 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups Coconut Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Milk
- 2 Tablespoons White vinegar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Cream Cheese Glaze Frosting
- 5 cups Powder Sugar
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 1/3 cup Milk
- 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Combine Milk with Vinegar and let sit for a few minutes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
- Add milk mixture, eggs, vanilla, and oil to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well combined and batter is smooth.
- Grease and line 2 8 inch round baking tins with parchment paper. You can also use a 9 x 13 pan. This recipe will make 18 cupcakes.
- Add Batter to baking tins. If you are using 2 8 inch rounds bake for 26-30 minutes. When center rises and tooth pick can be inserted and come out clean the cake is done.
- If baking in a 9 x 13 pan, bake time should be between 30-35 minutes.
- Cupcakes take 15-18 minutes.