Melissa K. Norris
  • Start Here
  • Podcast
  • Articles
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Classes
    • General Store
  • In Person Workshops
  • Academy
Log In
Chocolate beet cake on a plate drizzled with more chocolate.

Chocolate Beet Cake (Gluten & Dairy Free Options)

Dessert, Recipes

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Regardless, I only link to products we use on our homestead or believe in.
Jump to RecipePrint Recipe

Chocolate beet cake… who would have thought this from scratch gluten and dairy free chocolate beet cake would be one of the best things I've ever eaten. Yes. Ever. With beets!

I'm always on the hunt to make yummy things a tad bit healthier, without sacrificing the taste. Because, I've got to be honest with you, I don't care how healthy something is for me if it tastes like sawdust topped with a sprinkle of honey. And it doesn't do me or my family any good to waste money or time on foods that are healthy for them but are so bad, it's a fight and struggle to get them to eat it.

But, if I can make a recipe healthier and tastes just as good or better than the previous unhealthy version, than I'm so going for it. With being frugal and trying to use up the food stock we have on hand (which is rotated out so it's always stocked 6 Tips to Avoid Food Storage Mistakes), I've been putting our root vegetables to use as some of them are coming to the end of their shelf life.

Chocolate Beet Cake Gluten & Dairy Free Options I fought my husband over the last piece of this. Tastes like the richest cheesecake you ever had, but is healthy with the surprise ingredients of pureed beets. Shut the front door good!

Which brings me to today's surprise star ingredient. Hold your judgments when you hear it… beets. Yes, BEETS! And they my friend, make a moist, decadent, to die for chocolate cake, without a trace of dirt flavor to be found. I seriously had to fight my husband over a piece of this cake.

I first saw a version of this recipe in a little insert paper called Relish (here's the original recipe) with our local newspaper. But I had to change up a few things because I for one, do not like the taste of olive oil in baked goods. And I needed a dairy free option, so I tossed out the heavy cream, with a few other modifications.

The result is a thing of beauty. Like a cross between cheese cake and a truffle, wrapped in decadent chocolate, so moist it practically melts in your mouth. I'm not kidding.

I adore that it has a cup of beets in it. Because, while I like beets (steamed with a splash or two of balsamic vinegar on top) the rest of my family isn't so keen. This is a way I can use up some of our winter veggie stock, sneak it into my family's diet, and have them begging for just one more slice.

The fun thing about the beets is they give the cake almost a dark red velvet feel in color. And come raspberry time, I can't wait to try a raspberry reduction sauce on top. I love how seasonal foods can make a dish brand new again. But for this time of year, it's beets! Never thought I'd get to say have your beets with chocolate cake and eat it too.

Want more from scratch cooking?

Tired of hectic meal times and complicated recipes or relying on processed foods?

  • Simple and easy time tested from scratch meals
  • Easy skillet suppers
  • Nourishing and kid-approved soups and stews
  • Old-fashioned baked goods from buttermilk pie, homemade cake mixes, to Mom’s chocolate chip cookies
  • Don’t spend all day in the kitchen, tips for busy times without sacrificing hand made goodies
  • Wholesome ingredients without processed and questionable items

All of this and more in with 100+ old-fashioned from scratch recipes in Hand Made: the Modern Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living 

This gluten and dairy free chocolate cake tastes like the richest cheesecake I've ever had, but healthy! The surprise ingredients of beets shows in the hint of red velvet color, but you can't taste it. I fought my husband for the last piece of this bad boy.

Are you drooling yet?

Resources for Chocolate Beet Cake

To make this dairy free, besides the options I've included, you'll need to use dairy free chocolate chips, this is my favorite brand. These are the only SOY FREE chocolate chips I've been able to find and they taste just as good as the other brands without the GMO's –> Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Gluten, Dairy, nut & Soy Free

A springform pan, seriously, you're not a real baker until you have a springform pan because that is how you make this cake and all other cheesecakes… which means you need to invite me over for dessert! I share my recipe, you share your cheesecake made in this–> Baker's Secret Springform Pan

Coconut oil is the best thing that's happened to my kitchen since I don't know when. It's good for me, and it doubles as a lip balm, eye cream, and all around moisturizer–> Organic Coconut Oil

More Gluten Free Recipes

  • Successful Gluten-Free Baking That Tastes Good
  • Jam Roly-Poly
  • Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe
  • Grandmother's Date Bread
  • Homemade Granola Bars
  • Historical Recipes: Honey Date Squares
  • Grandma's Easy Oatmeal Macaroons
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
  • 13 Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes

Chocolate Beet Cake (Gluten & Dairy Free Options)

MelissaKNorris
4 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 18 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 58 mins
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 9 ounces or 1 cup plus a few tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup organic butter or coconut butter for dairy free
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 6 farm fresh eggs separated
  • 3/4 cup sugar I use organic evaporated cane juice or coconut sugar
  • 1 cup pureed fresh beets one medium steamed beet
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour or rice flour If you're not gluten free, you could use 3/4 cup spelt, whole wheat pastry, or all purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • Glaze
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Set up a double broiler (preferable to the microwave) to melt your chocolate, butter, and coconut oil in. Bring water just to a low boil and then set your bowl of ingredients on top. Once chocolate turns shiny stir and remove from heat. Return to heat and stir until melted. If heated too quickly, chocolate can seize, so I take mine off about two times and return it only if needed. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
  • Whisk together egg yolks (set whites aside in a mixer bowl) and granulated sugar until well blended. Add cooled chocolate to bowl and whisk. Stir in beets and flour.
  • With an electric mixer beat egg whites with powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Fold this into the chocolate mixture, careful not to over mix, just until combined.
  • Pour this into a spring form pan.
  • Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven. The center will still look raw, don't worry, take it out. It will set up as it cools. Cool on a wire rack and then chill in the fridge.
  • For the glaze, use a double broiler or the microwave to melt the chocolate with the coconut oil. Drizzle over cake or eat by the spoonful, whichever you like.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Grow Your Own Food In-Person Worksop

Saturday May 20th

$349

An intimate and hands on workshop

At Norris Farmstead

Click Here to Learn More

Want to grow a year’s worth of food?

Get my FREE planting chart!

Know exactly how many plants per person you need to plant with my easy worksheet and chart!

Melissa Norris

Melissa K. Norris inspires people's faith and pioneer roots with her books, podcast, and blog. Melissa lives with her husband and two children in their own little house in the big woods in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen.

Read more about Melissa

Related Posts

A woman's hands opening a freshly cooked bao bun.

EASIEST Homemade Bao Bun Recipe

Diced onions on a cutting board.

Homemade Cream of Onion Soup Substitute

Mozzarella cheese and whey separating out.

How to Make Whey in Four Easy Steps

Comments:

  1. Flourless Chocolate Cake | Animeagain.com

    February 20, 2014 at 3:02 am

    […] Source […]

    Reply
  2. Bea

    9 years ago

    This brings back memories of my Mother. She always put beets in her chocolate cake because she knew I hated them growing up, then as an adult I can eat them any kind of way. My Mother loved to bake and I get that from her I guess. I miss her so much. She passed in 1998 ,when I saw this recipe it made me cry. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Melissa Norris

      9 years ago

      Bea,

      I’ve always held that recipes are living memories of those who baked them for us. It sounds like you had a wonderful mother. You made me tear up, too. Hugs to you!

      Reply
  3. tereza crump aka mytreasuredcreations

    9 years ago

    I have a friend coming over for lunch on Sunday. Just found out she is gluten free too. This would be a great recipe to impress. 🙂 Yumm-O

    Reply
    • Melissa Norris

      9 years ago

      Let me know if you try it. It was super good.

      Reply
  4. Margaret Anne @ Natural Chow

    February 23, 2014 at 1:59 am

    We are tree nut free due to allergy, have you tried to make this with any other flours? It looks awesome!

    Reply
    • Margaret Anne @ Natural Chow

      February 23, 2014 at 1:59 am

      Just saw the rice flour. Sorry.

      Reply
  5. Top 10 Dessert Recipes with Сhocolate | Cookertino

    March 15, 2014 at 4:09 pm

    […] Chocolate Cake with a Surprise Star from Melissa K. Norris […]

    Reply
  6. Becky

    March 20, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    I just wanted to let you know that I’ve made this cake twice now and it’s been a big hit with everyone I’ve shared it with! Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Melissa Norris

      April 14, 2014 at 2:58 am

      Yea, Becky!! So glad to hear. It’s going to be our Easter dessert. 🙂

      Reply
  7. How to Grow and Plant BeetsMelissa K. Norris

    April 23, 2014 at 7:03 am

    […] a splash of balsamic vinegar. But perhaps our favorite way to eat beets (even the kiddos) is my beet chocolate cake. And beet brownies? Yep, those, […]

    Reply
  8. Build Your Own Home Food StorageMelissa K. Norris

    May 30, 2014 at 7:07 am

    […] Beet Chocolate Cake Recipe (gluten and dairy free) […]

    Reply
  9. 5 Vegetables to Plant Now for a Fall HarvestMelissa K. Norris

    August 6, 2014 at 5:30 am

    […] or store them in the root cellar. They’re super yummy pickled, roasted with garlic, or in my Chocolate Gluten-Free cake. I might have a thing for vegetables and dessert. Here’s our complete tutorial on how to […]

    Reply
  10. 53 Delicious Gluten And Dairy Free Recipes | Daily Healthy Tips

    August 17, 2014 at 6:53 am

    […] Source & Recipe: melissaknorris.com […]

    Reply
  11. 46 Delicious Gluten Free Cakes Recipes | Daily Healthy Tips

    August 18, 2014 at 3:27 am

    […] Source: melissaknorris.com […]

    Reply
  12. 54 Gluten Free Chocolate Cakes Recipes | Daily Healthy Tips

    August 18, 2014 at 5:05 am

    […] Go get the recipe: melissaknorris.com […]

    Reply
  13. Virginia

    January 16, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    This sounds delicious. I’m renting a vacation home and there’s no springform pan. Also, I need something to serve 20 – 24. I’m wondering if it can be served in squares. Have you ever made it in a 9×13?If so, do you know how to vary the baking time?

    Reply
  14. Anthea

    February 16, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    This sounds really yummy and I’m dying to try it. Thanks. Anthea

    Reply
  15. Dona

    February 18, 2019 at 12:58 am

    Hi Melissa,

    I have a question in regards to the sugar used for this cake. I only have raphadura (sp) would that work and if so what quantity should I use???

    Thanks,
    Dona

    Reply
    • Melissa Norris

      February 20, 2019 at 4:06 pm

      Yes, I’ve only purchased evaporated cane juice for years and it works great! Use the same amount.

      Reply
  16. Lori

    June 8, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    Have you ever tried using the sourdough discard in this recipe ? I know this is a gluten free recipe, but was wondering.

    Thank you !

    Reply
    • Melissa Norris

      3 years ago

      I haven’t tested it, you’d need to adjust the liquid a little bit to account for the water in the starter but I bet it would taste excellent

      Reply
  17. Joan

    January 19, 2022 at 10:32 am

    A question about the spring form pan. Do you prepare it in any way? Grease and flour it like you would a regular cake pan?

    Reply

Leave us a reply: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




Melissa K. Norris

Follow me:

  • Start Here
  • Courses
  • Academy
  • Contact
Log In

Articles

  • Gardening
  • Homesteading
  • Recipes
  • Lifestyle
  • DIY

Podcast

  • Orchard Planning to Keep Pests Out (Live Coaching Call)
  • How to Boost Your Immune system (10 Easy Ways)
  • Homesteading With Special Needs Children
  • Seventh-Year Land Sabbath and Bread Baking Tips (Live Coaching Call)
  • Must-Have Pantry Items For Long-Term Storage

Books

  • Everything Worth Preserving
  • The Family Garden Planner
  • Hand Made
  • The Made From Scratch Life

Education

  • Organic Gardening Workshop
  • Home Fruit Preservative Canning e-course
  • Home Canning With Confidence
  • Homemade Bread & Baking Class
  • Natural Homemade Bath and Beauty
  • Pioneering Today Academy


Copyright 2023 - Melissa K. Norris Pioneering Today LLC

  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use

Melissa K. Norris and Pioneering Today LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

1086 shares
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Email