Moist Beet Brownies with Peanut Buttercream Frosting

So, before we get started I feel like I may have lost some of you on this recipe at the word, beet. I’m sure you’re thinking, Ok, seriously I thought she said she was a picky eater and putting beets in brownies is so borderline weird there is no way she would actually eat that. Picky eaters are picky eaters because they don’t eat stuff like Beet Brownies. End of Story. But that’s actually the beginning of the story.

As most of you know, I have a crazy schedule. When I finally get a bit of down time, one of my guilty pleasures is watching one of my favorite shows on PBS called, “A Chef’s Life.” To be perfectly, honest, it’s usually hard for me to watch TV for any length of time. I start feeling guilty like I should be up doing something like working or cleaning the house or folding laundry. But one weekend, I was sick and lying around was my only available option. I started watching Season 1 of A Chef’s Life and then immediately I started watching Season 2. Before I knew it, I was trying to find out when Season 3 was starting up again. It’s only a 30-minute show but every time it ends, I’m always bummed. Vivian Howard is telling the stories of farm families all over the South through her food, restaurants and this show. I seriously can’t get enough.

A few weeks ago, she was talking about putting beets in cake. Red Velvet and Chocolate cakes to be exact. While I confess, I’m not a very good cook, I inherited my excellent baking skills from my Granny. I knew immediately I had to try beets in something sweet. At the time, I was craving brownies, so I set about creating a recipe with the ingredients I had on hand for a moist, delicious beet brownie topped with peanut buttercream frosting. Here’s a recipe you’re going to be crazy about too…

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Chop approximately 5 squares of quality unsweetened baking chocolate into small pieces. This one is 85% Cacao.

Place in a pot over low heat and stir until melted. Add ½ cup of unsalted butter and melt butter and chocolate together. Remove from heat and allow to cool approximately 10 minutes.

Add 2 teaspoons vanilla to chocolate mixture

Next add ¾ cup pureed beets to the chocolate mixture.

In a medium size bowl, combine 1 cup granulated, ½ cup brown sugar and whisk together. You may want to use a bit less sugar if you’re chocolate is not high in cacao but I’ll let you be the judge of how much sugar you want to use in this recipe.

Then combine the mixture containing the chocolate, butter, vanilla, and beets with sugars mixture.

Add three eggs one at a time until fully incorporated into chocolate and sugars mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt and whisk together.

Slowly fold flour mixture into chocolate, butter, vanilla, beets, sugar and eggs mixture. Do not over mix.

Place combined ingredients in a lightly greased pan.

Bake approximately 35-40 minutes. Do not over bake.

Allow to cool. These beet brownies are really moist and can be topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, chocolate frosting or my favorite peanut buttercream frosting. The ingredients for the peanut buttercream frosting are 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, ¾ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, pinch of salt. Beat peanut butter and softened butter together with an electric mixer for approximately 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl until mixture is combined. Pour in heavy cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl until mixture is combined. Add a pinch of salt. Beat approximately 3 more minutes on high or until frosting is light and fluffy.

I also added a bit of chopped up Reese’s Buttercup pieces for additional decoration on top of each brownie.

I can’t tell you how many of these I’ve eaten over the past few days. I will probably be on the treadmill until Thanksgiving though. They’re totally worth it. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to appreciate brownies without beets in them again. I can’t wait to try them in a cake now. My lady Vivian Howard would be so proud.

I hope you guys all have a restful and relaxing weekend. See you guys on Facebook, on Instagram and on Pinterest and back here on Monday for the Something to Talk About Link Party!

Many blessings for a happy weekend,

CoCo