Chocolate Cake (with Beets)

This is from Jessica Seinfield's book, Deceptively Delicious.  David "neigh-sayed" the frosting so we just ate  it with vanilla ice cream.  I'm not complaining!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil or trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 3 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup beet puree*
• 1/2 cup lowfat 1 percent buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  For the frosting:
• 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

*To make the beet puree:  Preheat the oven to 400.  Wrap the beets in foil and cook for about an hour.  You know they are done when they can be pierced with a fork.  After they cool, peel beets and place in a food processor or blender for about 2 minutes.


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the brown sugar with the oil or margarine until creamy. Add the whole egg and egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate, beet puree, buttermilk and vanilla.

Add the flour, baking soda and salt, and beat until smooth.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool 5 minutes in pan before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese with the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth. Slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread the frosting over the top and between layers of the cooled cake.