Red Velvet Paleo Cake

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Yield:

Makes one double-layer 8-inch round cake or 12 regular cupcakes

Recipe Source:

Paleo Desserts by Jane Barthelemy ($19.99, Da Capo Press, 2012)

Ingredients

1 ¹⁄₄ cups Just Like Sugar Table Top natural chicory root sweetener
- or 1 ²⁄₃ cup Organic Zero Erythritol
1 ¹⁄₄ cups medium-shredded unsweetened coconut flakes (not coconut flour)
¹⁄₄ cup arrowroot powder
¹⁄₂ tsp baking powder
¹⁄₄ tsp unprocessed salt
1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 Tbsp pure cacao powder
1 large beet, cubed and lightly steamed (170 grams)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¹⁄₄ tart apple, unpeeled, cored, and cut into chunks (50 grams)
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
¹⁄₂ tsp almond extract
1 Tbsp raw yacon syrup (optional, for a caramel flavor)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and lightly dust with coconut flour or arrowroot powder two 8-inch round cake pans or a 12-cupcake pan.
In a dry food processor fitted with the “S” blade, grind the sweetener to a very fine powder.
Add shredded coconut to the sweetener in the food processor. Spin it for a minute until a very fine powder. Open the lid, stir the bottom, replace the lid, and grind again until the powder is uniformly fine.
To the ingredients in the food processor, add arrowroot, baking powder, salt, nutritional yeast, and cacao powder. Mix well and pour into a large mixing bowl.
For wet ingredients, it is better to use a blender for a smooth red color. Place in blender the beet, eggs, apple, vanilla, almond extract, and yacon syrup (if using).
Blend very well until beet and apple are liquefied and smooth.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir briefly until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan(s). Bake cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or 8-inch layers for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan(s) on a rack.