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Beet and Carrot Cake

I love October! The colours in my home reflect the colours outside. Whenever I look at our Saskatchewan riverbank in autumn, I am reminded of my late aunt’s delicious beet-carrot cake.

There are many ways to enjoy beets and carrots, but they are most versatile when grated. If you are going to grate vegetables, grate extra. They will keep in the fridge for a day or two until you put them to good use. Always wear a dark colour when grating beets, because, inevitably, a bit will land on your clothing. If you just can’t find an hour for processing vegetables, pre-grated carrots and beets are now available at grocery stores.

I suggest you start using your stash of grated veggies by making several beet-carrot cakes. This recipe has been in my file since the early sixties. The recipe came to me from my aunt who had enjoyed it for decades.

I remember, as a young mother, freezing nine or ten of these cakes, double wrapped for perfect preservation. You can bake them in your preferred shape – layers or loaves. I sometimes freeze them iced and store them in appropriate cake or pie savers. If you pre-cut the cakes and store the slices separately, you can share a piece, with a friend, at a moments notice.

Beet and Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a large bowl, mix

3 egg yolks (Set the whites aside, to add later)

1½ cups of white sugar

1 cup of your favourite salad oil (In the 60s, we used corn oil)

1 teaspoon of vanilla

3 tablespoons of hot water

Add the following ingredients to the bowl, mixing until just moistened. 

1 cup of grated raw beets

1 cup of grated raw carrots

½ cup of chopped nuts (Pecans or walnuts)

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

In a medium glass bowl, beat the three reserved egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the mixed cake batter. Spread batter into two well-greased loaf pans, or two eight-inch rounds.

Bake the loaves at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans. 

Ice with your favourite cream cheese icing or try my Mind Blowing Caramel Coconut Icing.

These cakes freeze well.

Other Ideas For Enjoying Your Grated Vegetables 

1.Mix beets and carrots together with salad dressing for a beautiful slaw.

2. Add half a cup of each vegetable to hot rice when it is cooked. Replace the lid. In about ten minutes stir the cooked veggies into the rice. I freeze this mixture in small containers for a quick lunch. 

3. Add grated vegetables to chicken broth and microwave for a minute or two. 

4. Mix 1 cup of grated vegetables with a tablespoon of olive oil or butter and microwave-cook on high power for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring at two-minute intervals. 

5. Make Madame Benoit's famous Carrot Oatmeal Cookies. 

6. Add eggs and grated onions to beets and carrots and make vegetable fritters.