This Valentine’s Day surprise your sweetie with a healthy treat! HEART BEET CUPCAKES are completely decadent & made with a secret superfood!

Yup, you guessed it…beets! Beets are bursting with amazing health qualities, plus they are excellent for making Duncan Hines style fluffy and moist cupcakes!

I know it seems kind of strange to use beets when baking, but it’s similar to using pumpkin and we all know how wonderful pumpkin bread is! Beet puree replaces the eggs and butter typically used in cupcake recipes saving you tons of saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories!

Plus, it lends a vibrant red color! That beautiful red color is due to powerful antioxidant compounds that are responsible for anti-inflammation and detoxification, both of which protect the body from disease.

Heart Beet Cupcakes

This Valentine's Day surprise your sweetie with a healthy treat! HEART BEET CUPCAKES are completely decadent & made with a secret superfood!

Print Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Course: Dessert

Servings: -36

Calories: 151kcal

Author: Begin Within Nutrition

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

¾ cup beet puree
⅓ cup canola oil or olive oil
1 cup milk I used soy milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour or AP flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
16 oz package powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

To make beet puree:

Peel, cut and boil 2 medium sized beets until tender. Drain beets reserving ~1/3 cup of water. Add beets to a food processor and puree adding 1 tablespoon at a time until an applesauce consistency is achieved.

To make Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a mini-cupcake pan with paper cups and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together beet puree, oil, milk and sugar. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Spoon into cupcake cups until 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool.

To make Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large bowl using a hand held mixer beat together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually add in powdered sugar and cinnamon. Blend until creamy. Spread on cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

Notes

Cupcake recipe inspired by Minimalist Baker

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting from Kraft Recipes

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and upload to your pin and let me know what you thought!

They taste as good as they look and I promise you no one will know they are made of beets!

Check out another superfood sweet treat recipe:

Superfood Chocolate Pudding