Red Velvet Cake with Beet Juice
This red velvet cake with beet juice is a naturally colored twist on the classic red velvet dessert, made without artificial red food dye.
Beet puree gives the cake its deep reddish color while keeping the texture soft and tender, and a touch of cocoa adds the familiar red velvet flavor.
Don’t worry about the cake tasting like vegetables—the vanilla, cocoa, and cream cheese frosting balance the mild beet flavor beautifully.
This cake is a great choice for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or any celebration when you want a homemade layer cake made with simple, naturally colorful ingredients.
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Why Use Beets in Red Velvet Cake?
Beets provide natural red pigment without bottled food coloring. Their mild earthy flavor is balanced by sugar, vanilla, cocoa and tangy cream cheese frosting, so the cake does not taste like a vegetable.
The puree also adds body to the batter and helps create a soft, tender crumb. Because natural beet color varies, the exact shade of every cake will be slightly different.
How to Make Red Velvet Cake with Beet Juice and Puree
- Cook the beets with lemon juice until tender, then blend them with some of the reserved beet juice to make a smooth puree.
- Prepare the cake batter by combining the dry ingredients separately, then mixing the butter, sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and beet puree.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk mixture, divide the batter between two cake pans and bake.
- Once the layers are completely cool, fill and frost the cake with cream cheese frosting.
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The cake may have a very mild earthy note, but it should not have a strong beet flavor. Cocoa, vanilla, sugar and cream cheese frosting balance the flavor of the puree.
The lemon juice is added while cooking the beets, while the vinegar is mixed with the milk to create an easy buttermilk substitute. The acidity adds the slight tang associated with red velvet cake and helps balance its sweetness.
Yes. Refrigerate the puree in an airtight container for up to three days. You can also freeze it, then thaw and stir it well before measuring it for the recipe.
Tips for the Best Natural Red Velvet Cake
- Use regular natural cocoa powder rather than Dutch-process cocoa. Dutch-process cocoa is less acidic and can make the cake darker.
- Blend the beets until completely smooth so the puree disappears into the batter.
- Measure the puree after blending. Too much can make the batter heavy.
- Avoid overmixing after adding the flour. Mix only until you no longer see dry streaks.
- Don’t expect an artificial-looking scarlet color. Beet pigments are sensitive to heat, so the cake will generally bake into a natural deep red, burgundy or reddish-brown shade.
- Let the layers cool completely before frosting or the cream cheese frosting may soften and slide.
Be sure to check out these posts:
- If you’re looking to make your cakes colorful without artificial dyes, check out this guide to using natural food colors for stunning, vibrant results.
- Whether you’re in the mood for a classic red velvet cake or something rich like chocolate, this collection of birthday cake recipes has something for everyone!
- These Red Velvet Cupcakes are a perfect mini version of the classic cake, with the same soft, fluffy texture and rich flavor, topped with cream cheese frosting.
- Having trouble with your cake or looking to improve your decorating skills? Our baking troubleshooting guide and cake decorating guide have all the tips you need!
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Natural Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake
- 2 ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (do not use dutch process cocoa)
- 1 tbsp dry milk powder optional
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter unsalted, room temperature
- ½ cup oil vegetable or canola
- 2 cups sugar divided
- 3 eggs large
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup beet puree 3 beets
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup butter unsalted, room temperature
- 12 oz full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the beet puree, cut off the stems and rinse off the beets.
- Dice the beets and place into a pot filled with water covering the beets. Stir in the lemon juice.
- Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 30-35 minutes, until the beets are fork tender.
- Remove the beets and reserve the cooking water.
- Scrape the skins with a fork and transfer the beets to a food processor.
- Add in 1/4 cup of the reserved water and process the beets until they pureed and no large pieces remain.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and line two 8” cake pans with parchment paper.
- Make the buttermilk by combining the milk and vinegar.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, milk powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the oil and remaining 1 cup of sugar and mix until smooth.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and beet puree.
- Alternating between wet ingredients and dry, mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk and vinegar mixture, then the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Divide the cake batter between the cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely on. wire rack before assembling.
- While the cakes cool, make the frosting.
- In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter until smooth.
- Add in the cream cheese and mix until well combined.
- Mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time and finally add the vanilla. Chill the frosting while the cakes cool.
- Spread an even layer of cream cheese frosting between the two cakes and cover the entire cake in the remaining frosting.
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