
Chocolate Beet Cake Recipe Without Refined Sugars
Make a healthy version of a chocolate cake: Chocolate beet cake is moist, chocolaty and refined-sugar-free.

Baking with natural sweeteners
Plain old sugar has its place in baking. It’s easy to cook with and does the job of sweetening whatever it is you’re making but we think we should expect more from our sweeteners. Yes, we need them to sweeten, but more natural sweeteners, like molasses, honey and maple syrup can do double duty in a recipe by adding flavour too.
In this recipe you’ll see how molasses, honey and maple syrup can work together to create a moist and flavourful cake. In fact, this Chocolate Beet Cake is so chocolaty and moist that you can adapt it to all sorts of wonderful uses. Double the recipe and make a layer cake. Make it as cupcakes, or leave it just as is — the perfect snacking cake.

It’s easy to substitute molasses for honey or maple syrup
Real maple syrup is pricy and honey isn’t exactly cheap. Feel free to substitute additional molasses for either the maple syrup or honey called for in this recipe.
This recipe is adapted from the cookbook, Brown Eggs and Jam Jars by food blogger Aimee Wimbush-Bourque.
Aimee cooks a lot with natural sweeteners so in this book there is no shortage of recipes for molasses.
PrintChocolate Beet Cake Recipe Without Refined Sugars
Chocolate Beet Cake is an extra moist and chocolaty cake. No refined sugar. Sweetened with molasses, honey and maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 serving(s) 1x
- Category: Cakes
Ingredients
- 2 small beets, roasted and pureed (about 1/2 cup puree)
- ½ cup flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup butter, melted (or grapeseed oil)
- 1/3 cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp. strong coffee or chai tea (cooled)
- 2 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line an 8”x 8” pan with parchment paper or grease it well.
- Combine flours, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl whisk the egg with the melted butter then whisk in the molasses, honey and maple syrup. Add coffee and beet puree and beat well.
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients then stir in the milk.
- Spread batter in pan and bake for 25-35 minutes.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Brown Eggs and Jam Jars
Pam Cronk
Do you know the nutritional content for this recipe?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Pam, unfortunately, we do not know the nutritional content for this recipe.
-Marie from Crosby’s Kitchen
Phoenix
Excellent!!!! The best ever!!!! I have made this as cakes, muffins, cookies and every time it comes out absolutely delicious. I add chocolate chips and chocolate minced chunks, and wow! Not only that, but I have been using this recipe for years, and it is without a doubt my family’s favourite!!!!
Crosby Molasses
Thank you Phoenix for trying our recipes!
Therese Murphy
Can you use bottle beets from the grocery store?
Crosby Molasses
Yes, as long as they’re not pickled :)
Bonnie Richard
Hi, this seems to be the recipe in today’s KV Style (Sept. 21/19).
The recipe above says to add the milk at the last. The KV Style recipe says to add the milk to the wet ingredients and add “buttermilk” at the end. There is no buttermilk listed in the ingredients.
Crosby Molasses
Hi Bonnie, Yes, it’s the same recipe but I have simplified the process a bit. As well, I used to use buttermilk but now use regular milk. Apologies for the typo in my KV Style column.
Margaret Schedler
So many great recipes!
Thank you!
Marion French
How do I enter the contest?
Thanks
Peggy
I am wondering about flour in the ingredient list – is the 1/2 whole wheat or spelt flour supposed to be an additional ingredient, and if so, how much? Or is it an option to use 1/4 cup whole wheat or spelt flour in place of half the unspecified 1/2 cup flour?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Peggy, The recipe calls for 1 cup of flour in total. I make it with half all-purpose and half whole wheat or spelt. You could even use all whole wheat or spelt if you’d like.
Denise
Made these as cupcakes. Light & moist. Delicious.
jacquie
:( what about those of us who don’t do social media is there a way for us to enter? I would dearly love to win this book.
Crosby Molasses
Hi Jacquie, No worries. I just added your name into the draw. Good luck.
jacquie
thanks.