Red Velvet Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

I'd be interested to know what cake ratios the author was using, as given the weight of the beet puree (as the main liquid), I had to double the amount of flour and sugar to get everything in the correct proportions.  I did use whole-grain soft wheat flour, but it measured at 4oz. per cup which should have been about right. I also increased the baking powder and vanilla in proportion with the flour, and added 1/4 cup of cacao powder.  I ended up with more batter of course so I had 18 cupcakes that baked in just over 20 minutes. They were rather dense but still moist and tender, with maybe just a hint of beet flavor.  As for roasting the beets, being able to puree them is nice but I think I'll go back to shredding them raw to preserve the red color better as even roasting them amounts to cooking them twice.  And buttercream frosting??  It's red velvet! - cream cheese, please!  I made a basic cream cheese frosting instead, with extra to pipe into the cupcakes as well as slather over the top.   Cake is all about the frosting, after all...I'll hang onto the recipe but I may try something different next time. 

I tested these in the Sunset test kitchen and initially was skeptical about how they would taste. Since then, I have made them often as they always turn out moist and delicious and everyone else loves them too!

I was a little intimidated to try this recipe, as I have not roasted my own beets before, nor made cupcakes from scratch! They turned out perfectly though, I didn't change anything. They were a huge hit at a baby shower, and although some knew they contained beets no one thought the flavor was off. Very moist and delicious!

Great cupcake, the beets give this dessert a very interesting twist on the standard red velvet cake. The frosting was too sweet for our liking and would recommend cutting the powdered sugar by half. We may try a mascarpone spread, instead of the buttercream.